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Manchester United substitute Juan Mata ends Crystal Palace resistance Manchester United substitute Juan Mata ends Crystal Palace resistance
(about 2 hours later)
This first win in more than a month for Manchester United was a disjointed affair. Louis van Gaal’s men are not dominating teams in a manner that should be expected for the £150m-plus summer outlay. While the mood is better around the club this United side is hardly an upgrade on last season’s David Moyes vintage. This first win in more than a month for Manchester United was a disjointed affair. Louis van Gaal’s men are just not dominating in a manner expected for the £150m-plus summer outlay.
They hoarded possession so the result was about right – the match-winner, Juan Mata, came close to a second when hitting a Palace post late on – yet with Arsenal visiting after the international break, there is more pondering to be done by the manager. While the mood is better this current United is hardly an upgrade on last season’s David Moyes vintage. They hoarded possession here so the result was correct – the match-winner, Juan Mata, came close to a second when hitting a Crystal Palace post late on – yet with the visit to Arsenal coming up after the international break there is more pondering to be done.
A United XI showing two changes from Sunday’s derby defeat began brightly. Ángel Di María smashed a free-kick against the wall then later delivered a corner from which the ensuing play won another delivery from the same right quadrant. Van Gaal said: “We had patience but we need more speed and more switches [in play].” This sluggishness is a feature this term. How can this be changed? “That’s difficult against a defending team but you can give the pass with more speed. Then you can switch the play,” said the manager. “You make them move and run after that ball and at the end, every team is tired. Then one or two or three players forget the shape and that’s what I mean.”
Corners proved a potent threat for United throughout this opening period. Yet another from Di María broke to Robin van Persie and his drilled shot-cross nearly found Maroaune Fellaini lurking near the goal-line before Palace cleared. The big positive is that a win is a win, of course, and United are up to sixth in the chase for a Champions League place. As Van Gaal said: “We are now two points behind fourth place, so it’s in our hands. I am happy. After the goal, we killed the game for the first time. We did it well and deserved to win. I am happy with the three points and we stay in the race to end in the places that we want to be in. That’s important.”
Marcos Rojo’s dislocated shoulder and the suspension of Chris Smalling meant yet another shuffling of Van Gaal’s defensive pack. This time he moved Daley Blind to centre-back and recalled Paddy McNair to play alongside him to maintain the manager’s stated preference for a left-right foot combination at the heart of his defence. A United XI showing two changes from last Sunday’s derby defeat began brightly as Ángel Di María smashed a free-kick against the Palace wall. Marcos Rojo’s dislocated shoulder and Chris Smalling’s suspension meant yet another shuffling of Van Gaal’s defensive pack. This time he moved Daley Blind to centre-back and recalled Paddy McNair to maintain his preference for a left-right foot combination.
That this was an 11th combination at centre-back of Van Gaal’s tenure was a telling illustration of the problems that have plagued him in this area. The uncertainty this is bound to bring to the team showed at times. This was his 11th different combination at centre-back, a telling illustration of the problems that have plagued Van Gaal and near the half’s end were two scares. Yannick Bolasie sprinted along United’s right and curved over a ball that hit Luke Shaw with Fraizer Campbell closing in.
Towards the end of the half there were two scares. One of these featured Yannick Bolasie sprinting along United’s right and curving in a ball that hit Luke Shaw with Fraizer Campbell, a former United player, closing in. The other moment of danger occurred moments beforehand. Palace launched a long ball at McNair who, wrongly, allowed this to bounce – he may have thought the nearby Blind would clear – and Campbell had a clear chance in front of David De Gea. But the No10’s attempted lob was too high.
The other moment of danger occurred just before. Palace launched a long ball at McNair who, wrongly, allowed it to bounce – he may have thought the nearby Blind would clear – and Campbell had a clear chance in front of David De Gea. But the No10’s attempted lob was too high. Van Gaal said: “We didn’t have to defend much but you’re always only one moment away and that came in first half with the lob over De Gea. It’s always difficult to beat teams who are only defending.”
Shaw has endured a stuttering start to his United career since joining in the summer but he provide the period’s finest moment. He picked up possession in a deep position and surged straight downfield, scattering a backpedalling and panicky Palace and, when the shot came, only a fine Julian Speroni save denied Shaw a classic Roy of the Rovers goal. To this accusation Warnock said: “I think that’s the best opportunity I’ve had to beat Man United. The chance we missed was the best opportunity of the game with Fraizer Campbell. If we could have got in front then the crowd would have grown restless.”
United were sharp whenever moving forward. Van Persie secured the ball and passed to Adnan Januzaj and after moving forward the teenager whacked an effort at Speroni that though wide of the goalkeeper acted as a warning. Shaw has endured a stuttering start at United since joining in the summer but he provide the period’s finest moment. He picked up possession in a deep position and surged straight downfield scattering a backpedalling and panicky Palace before him and, when the shot came, only a fine Julian Speroni save denied Shaw a classic Roy of the Rovers goal.
Good work from Di María down the left set up a quiet Wayne Rooney in a central area but when trying to finish the captain misfired. After the break a Di María free-kick from the left found Robin van Persie who played in Marouane Fellaini. Again the ball would not quite fall right and the Belgian’s snapshot was blocked. Next up to try and break the deadlock was Wayne Rooney. McNair rushed forward with the ball and squeezed a pass to him. But as in the first half when trying to direct the finish, Rooney’s radar proved off.
There was also the sight of the 20-times champions pin-balling possession around impressively as the break neared. In keeping the ball to themselves here was a sequence of play that was perhaps their best in terms of shape and fluidity under Van Gaal. Yet as the teams wandered off for half-time the end product was still missing. Adrian Mariappa now posed a question from Palace when scooping a cross into the area that needed David De Gea’s long reach to pluck from the air but as the hour passed the contest remained scoreless though United were unlucky when a Fellaini header was cleared from the Palace line by James McArthur.
The manager might have told his side to continue, believing that the breakthrough would come. Now, Van Gaal made his move as off came Adnan Januzaj for Mata. Moments later, slick interplay between the Spaniard and Fellaini and Di Maria and Mata beat Speroni.
At the second half’s start a Di María free-kick from the left found Van Persie who played in Fellaini. Again the ball would not quite fall right and the Belgian’s snapshot was blocked. Next up to try to break the deadlock for United was Rooney. McNair rushed forward with the ball and squeezed a pass to him. But, as in the first half, Rooney’s radar proved off. “He didn’t change our formation or style but he scores goals – and because of that, we won,” said the manager.
Before the game Van Gaal said: “We know there are no easy games in the Premier League and we know Palace will be fighting hard to get a result today. They are an organised team who play a lot of long balls and work hard on set pieces. We know that and we will be ready for them.” Mata, who has been dislodged from a starting place, was understandably pleased. “It was probably one of our most important wins. We needed three points. I got a goal and am very happy today. When you come on, you try to change the game. It was always on my mind – luckily I did it.
The problem was so were Palace in those moments when they could pin United back. Adrian Mariappa posed one such question when scooping a cross into the area that needed De Gea’s long reach to pluck from the air. “Now it’s time to rest. Hopefully after the international break we’ll get some players back.”
As the hour passed the contest remained scoreless though United were unlucky when Fellaini’s header was cleared from the Palace line by James McArthur.
Now, Van Gaal made his move, as off came Januzaj for Mata. After slick interplay between the Spaniard and Fellaini and Di María, Mata beat Speroni with a 20-yarder that, though taking a deflection, the keeper should have saved.