Crystal Palace vs Man Utd LIVE: Premier League result as Martinez escapes red card after controversial tackle | OneFootball

(Action Images via Reuters)

Manchester United drew 0-0 against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Saturday evening, as a dominant performance failed to ease the pressure on Erik ten Hag.

The away side dominated the first half, taking the lion’s share of possession but only managing to hit the woodwork twice after a great effort from Alejandro Garnacho and a rebound from Bruno Fernandes.

The second half began in much the same manner, with United keeping control but not managing to capitalise on it.

Palace grew into the game after making substitutions, while United’s changes took away their momentum, and the home side begun to create chances, with Eberechi Eze firing wide and Eddie Nketiah and Ismaila Sarr forcing a brilliant double save from Andre Onana.

The game petered out in the final stages as Palace looked to settle for a point and United struggled to regain any attacking rhythm, and in the end it was a familiar sight for Erik ten Hag as his side earned just one point in a fixture they probably should’ve won.

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Manchester United’s frustrating draw with Crystal Palace reveals positive step forward

A game at Selhurst Park that both teams could feel they should have won, but will know could have been a defeat. That says a little bit about the push-pull nature of both Manchester United and Crystal Palace so far - and the fact we’re even discussing this says a lot about a 0-0 that “won’t go down as a classic”. The “highlights” were a reckless tackle by Lisandro Martinez and some fine stops, especially a double save from Andre Onana.

There was at least an inversion of some criticisms of United throughout Ten Hag’s time, as well as his predecessors. They generally had a really good shape but were let down by individual inaccuracy. Had any of their attackers been at one of their better levels, United could have been out of sight by half-time.

Man Utd’s frustrating draw with Palace reveals positive step forward

Crystal Palace 0-0 Manchester United: Erik ten Hag rued United’s missed chances but praised his team’s peformance

Mike Jones21 September 2024 20:41

Man City vs Arsenal will be defined by tactical trend and a strange twist

If Mikel Arteta seems unusually relaxed about the absence of Martin Odegaard, some of that is actually an effort.

The manager of course knows exactly the cost of losing such a player but part of his long-term preparation with this Arsenal squad is to never dwell on anything that could be perceived as a negative. Arteta has spoken extensively to psychologists about this and the idea is that if you can’t change a problem like this, there’s no point speaking about it in a way that could play on his team’s mind.

It’s best to look forward after taking a hard-earned point against Atalanta in Bergamo... which is a phrase with a few meanings as regards Sunday’s match at Manchester City.

The idea may be all the more important if Odegaard is indeed out until November, as some recent chatter suggests, but also given the exact nature of this game.

The onus is very much on Arsenal, rather than City. They are the challengers, they are the team that have twice finished second to Pep Guardiola’s side, and they’re the team now second again. Arsenal haven’t won at the Etihad since 2014-15.

Man City vs Arsenal will be defined by tactical trend and a strange twist

The Gunners must take on the champions without Martin Odegaard, yet Mikel Arteta faces a new dilemma after last season’s goalless stalemate and the latest attempt to dethrone Pep Guardiola’s side

Chris Wilson21 September 2024 21:30

With five goals in five games, Luis Diaz is reaping the rewards of Arne Slot’s quiet evolution

Liverpool are top of the league. But while that may only be for a day, more significantly, Liverpool are back on track. The tame home defeat to Nottingham Forest looks more of a one-game anomaly. After three goals in the San Siro came three at Anfield. As Bournemouth were beaten, like AC Milan before them, a week that began badly for Arne Slot has featured an impressive response.

And a success story of his fine start again illustrated Slot’s early impact. When the final whistle blew, Erling Haaland remained the Premier League’s runaway top scorer. So far, so predictable. What rather fewer would have expected when the season started was that Luis Diaz is his closest challenger. At times in his Liverpool career, the Colombian has provided everything but the goals. Now he has five in as many league matches for Slot: that average of one per game comes after a return of worse than one every four for the club before then.

A win made in South America also included Darwin Nunez’s first for Slot, as he made his maiden start under the Dutchman. But it was determined by Diaz’s two-minute double. Cody Gakpo was terrific against AC Milan but, four days later, Diaz was restored to the team. The destroyer of Manchester United was similarly dynamic. There is a thrilling directness to Diaz, an explosiveness that stems from a willingness to run beyond defenders, to let fly from both long distances and acute angles. What there has not always previously been was an end product.

With five goals in five games, Diaz is reaping the rewards of Slot’s quiet evolution

Liverpool 3-0 Bournemouth: Diaz found the target twice as the Reds swept the Cherries aside

Mike Jones21 September 2024 20:50

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Next up

Crystal Palace travel to Premier League strugglers Everton next weekend, with that game kicking off at 3pm on Saturday, 28 September.

Manchester United host FC Twente in the Europa League in midweek, before facing Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford in the final game of the weekend on 29 September.

Chris Wilson21 September 2024 20:30