Erik ten Hag never does things the easy way. The Manchester United manager had complimented Marcus Rashford’s improved attitude but dropped him to the bench and then watched his replacement, Alejandro Garnacho, fail to find a way past the outstanding Dean Henderson, who was inspired against his former club.
By the time Rashford made it on to the pitch in the second half, a strangely off-colour Crystal Palace had finally woken up and United needed a brilliant double save from André Onana to avoid a second successive defeat here against Oliver Glasner’s side.
At least this was a much-improved display from the 4-0 debacle back in May that was one of the low points of last season under Ten Hag, with United’s defence standing firm under late pressure.
Having praised Rashford after three goals in his past two appearances, it was surprising to see Garnacho preferred in United’s only change from the win over Southampton last Saturday. Ten Hag said the England forward’s absence was “not difficult decision because we have to rotate” as they also welcomed back Mason Mount and Rasmus Højlund to a strong substitutes’ bench containing nine internationals.
It was quite a contrast to United’s last visit to these parts 138 days ago when they had two goalkeepers and four players who had never made a senior appearance.
Much has changed at Palace since that victory inspired by Michael Olise, with the France forward having starred for his new team, Bayern Munich, in a 5-0 win over Wolfsburg on Saturday. Glasner brought new signing Daichi Kamada into midfield to replace the injured Cheick Doucouré, while Eddie Nketiah was tasked with replacing Olise having opened his Palace account against QPR in the EFL Cup.
United seemed intent on picking up where they left off in the 7-0 thrashing of Barnsley in midweek and would have been ahead in the opening 15 minutes if not for Henderson. The Palace goalkeeper, who spent eight years at Old Trafford, first denied Garnacho after he had been cleverly played in by Joshua Zirkee before keeping out Matthijs de Ligt’s header and a near post effort from Lisandro Martínez in the space of 60 seconds as Palace’s defence was caught napping.
The hosts struggled to find any rhythm as Kobbie Mainoo and Christian Eriksen had the edge in midfield, with Glasner letting his frustrations be known on the touchline.
Somehow they escaped when Maxence Lacroix was culpable of ball watching and allowed Diogo Dalot to feed Garnacho. His shot cannoned back off the crossbar and fell to Bruno Fernandes but the United captain’s volley into the ground bounced up and struck virtually the same spot.
Zirkzee was then unfortunate to see the smallest of touches divert a cross from Fernandes away from Garnacho at the back post with an open goal gaping.
Palace mustered their first effort on target two minutes before the break but Eberechi Eze could only fire straight at Onana.
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Glasner opted to replace Jean-Philippe Mateta and the struggling Adam Wharton, who has been taking painkillers to cope with a groin injury, for the second half and Palace immediately looked more threatening. De Ligt was required to slide in to stop Eze after a brilliant pirouette was followed by a smart one-two with Nketiah.
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A flowing move for United started by Mainoo ended with Fernandes shooting just wide with the outside of his boot. The stage seemed set for Rashford when he was introduced for Zirkzee just after the hour mark but it was Garnacho who was next to test Henderson after he was set up by Dalot.
United had their goalkeeper to thank when Onana recovered brilliantly after saving Nketiah’s drive to stop Ismaïla Sarr’s follow up from point-blank range when it seemed easier for the substitute to score.
The Senegal forward could hardly believe his luck but it was his awareness that set up Eze minutes late, only for his shot to flash past Onana’s post.
Højlund was given the last 15 minutes on his return from a hamstring injury, although neither side looked capable of finding the breakthrough as Palace’s search for a first win of the new campaign continues.
