Manchester United mounted a determined second-half comeback at Selhurst Park to overturn a half-time deficit and reclaim a place in the Premier League’s top six, ending a run of poor results and long-standing struggles at the south London venue.
United had failed to score at this ground since January 2023, and their last victory here back in July 2020 included a goal from Anthony Martial.
When Crystal Palace went ahead through Jean-Philippe Mateta’s twice-taken penalty after a dominant first-half display, few inside the stadium expected Ruben Amorim’s side to rewrite their Selhurst Park narrative.
But as travelling supporters cheekily saluted Eric Cantona—whose most notorious career moment unfolded on this pitch in 1995—United’s current generation finally seized control.
Joshua Zirkzee, heavily criticised in recent months and coming off a poor performance against 10-man Everton, answered his manager’s faith with a fierce angled strike nine minutes after the restart to level the contest. Moments later, Mason Mount completed the turnaround, driving Bruno Fernandes’ short free-kick into the bottom corner beyond goalkeeper Dean Henderson.
The result snapped United’s three-match winless run and denied Palace a chance to break into the Premier League’s top four.
Crystal Palace Analysis: A Place in History but No Reward
The match marked the first use of a new Premier League rule that requires a retake when a player scores a penalty after striking the ball twice before it crosses the line. Mateta believed he had maintained his perfect spot-kick record when he sent Senne Lammens the wrong way nine minutes before half-time, but VAR official Matt Donohue quickly intervened.
As referee Rob Jones clarified the decision, both sets of players and fans showed clear signs that the rule change had gone largely unnoticed. Mateta, however, remained unfazed, confidently dispatching the retake into the opposite corner.
For Palace, who recently lost to Everton after a teammate struck another player—an unusual moment in itself—it threatened to become another unfortunate chapter. Instead, it becomes a unique footnote in Premier League history without yielding the points they hoped for.
Manchester United Analysis: Zirkzee Offers a Timely Reminder
Joshua Zirkzee’s United career has divided opinion, with questions over his consistency and future growing louder as his playing time decreased. Dropped from the Netherlands national squad and frustrated by limited opportunities, the forward seemed destined for an exit.
Given a rare start due to injuries to Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko, Zirkzee struggled in the first half and many expected Amorim to replace him. Yet the manager stood by him—and was rewarded.
Zirkzee’s swerving strike not only ended his year-long league scoring drought but also reopened discussions about his future at Old Trafford. Moments later, Mount capitalised on Fernandes’ quick-thinking free-kick to secure the winner, allowing United to manage the game against a visibly fatigued Palace side fresh off a European midweek fixture.
United’s comeback provides much-needed momentum as the Premier League moves into its first midweek round.
Crystal Palace travel to Burnley on Wednesday, 3 December at 19:30 GMT, while Manchester United return to action on Thursday when they host West Ham at Old Trafford at 20:00 GMT.
Source: www.kumasimail.com
