Key events
Preamble
Good evening everyone and welcome to episode 415 of a long-running soap opera. Yes, it's United After Fergie, now in its eleventh year, continuing to attract huge audiences, generating surprises with its plot twists and delighting fans of every English football club except one: manchester united.
Recent episodes have left the main character, Erik ten Hag, in a bind. His players continue to pull draws from the jaws of victory. Tonight we'll find out if they can win a match in London for the first time since Bonfire Night.
United's season, long a disappointment, now threatens to turn into a disaster. A month ago they were assured of sixth place and a place in the Europa League, which is their level these days. But then they faltered, Newcastle and Chelsea found form and suddenly United find themselves eighth. If they stay there, they won't make it to Europe at all, unless they beat Manchester City in the FA Cup final, which would only happen once in a blue moon.
The match schedule does not help Ten Hag keep his position. United's least daunting task is probably this, not that a game under the lights at Selhurst Park will be easy. Their hosts, meanwhile, are drama-free. After taking a few weeks to click with his new manager, Oliver Glasner, crystal Palace They had a great run in April, beating Liverpool, West Ham and Newcastle. They were less impressive at Fulham last weekend but still managed a late equaliser.
Palace's recent record, three wins and one draw, is what United should have, when in fact they have three draws and one win. If you go for points per game in the first division As of April 12, Palace (with 2.5) are second after Man City (3). And they beat United in the first leg at Old Trafford, just after losing there in the League Cup with an XI that was not complete.
Ten Hag, so dominant last season, is now the hapless boss of a team that has no idea how to maintain the lead. And he seems to have no idea how to fix it. He at least recognizes that the problem exists, unlike his other glaring weakness: the fact that the midfield often has a big void. Palace's new star Adam Wharton must be looking forward to meeting them.
To make matters even worse for United, Harry Maguire is injured and the Manchester Evening News reports that Bruno Fernandes, who has a broken wrist, has also not travelled. If this is correct, it will be the first time Fernandes has missed a United game through injury.
Kick-off is at 8 pm local time and I will be back soon with the teams.
