Joshua Zirkzee and Mason Mount were on the scoresheet as Manchester United overcame a half-time deficit to move back into the Premier League’s top six by beating Crystal Palace 1-2 at Selhurst Park.
It was the first time United had won at this stadium since July 2020.
Crystal Palace led at the end of a first half they dominated thanks to Jean-Philippe Mateta’s twice-taken penalty, but, as the visiting fans cheekily paid homage to legendary striker Eric Cantona, whose most infamous moment came at this ground in 1995 and led to a nine-month ban from football – and a prison sentence that was quickly overturned – their modern day heroes finally came to the fore.
The omens certainly weren’t good for a United side that had failed to score in the previous four league meetings with Palace, but they emerged from the interval re-energised.
The Red devils needed less than 10 minutes of the second half to equalise through Joshua Zirkzee, who ended a 24-game scoring drought in the league with a brilliant volley from an acute angle at the near post after being found by Bruno Fernandes.
Set-pieces were United’s best outlet all afternoon, and another one just beyond the hour completed the turnaround with Mount driving Fernandes’ short pass from a free-kick on the edge of Palace’s box low into the corner beyond the grasp of Dean Henderson.
The victory ended United’s run of three games without a win and ensured Palace were unable to grasp the prize of a place in the top four that victory would have given them.
