On a day when Ruben Amorim and Manchester United required a response against a strong Crystal Palace side, the Reds earned a deserved 2-1 win at Selhurst Park.
Trips to London have proven tedious for United, who entered the fixture with only three wins from their previous 26 Premier League trips down south.
A challenging outing was heightened midway through the opening half from the penalty spot, with Jean-Philippe Mateta unfazed in having to retake his initial successful effort.
But Joshua Zirkzee broke a resolute defence early in the second period with his first goal since April, before Mason Mount added a smart second shortly after the hour mark.
The result eases the pressure on Amorim, lifting United to sixth in the table, and a solitary point outside of the Champions League places ahead of ties against West Ham and Wolves.
Manchester United return to winning ways against Crystal Palace
Words like blows can cause irreversible damage to any group, and the magnitude of media disservice adds an unsavoury element to every Manchester outing.
For Amorim, a trip to Selhurst Park was no different, with a wave of criticism following Monday’s setback against Everton.
But his side started with renewed urgency and came within an outstretched arm of Dean Henderson to open the scoring inside the opening minute.
Many of my colleagues in the media room referenced Palace’s ‘patience’ in the low block during the opening quarter. In reality, the visitors pinned them back with a notable work rate.
Oliver Glasner’s men responded by utilising the hampered visibility due to intense sunlight, lofting passes into the final third with inevitable uncertainty, given a frosty surface.
Expectedly, the game settled, and Adam Wharton’s influence began to give the Eagles a sense of control, with a slippery surface adding to the contest’s difficulty.
Although opportunities surfaced at either end, the turning point of the half came from the penalty spot after a clumsy challenge from Leny Yoro on Mateta.
Despite a rare double touch resulting in a mandatory retake, the Frenchman slotted both efforts past a helpless Senne Lammens.
United responded well and poured forward for the remainder of the half, with VAR’s interjection supplying five minutes of additional time, but the home defence remained unbeaten for the opening 45.
The Reds began the second half similarly, constructing several well-worked passages and stretching their hosts impressively.
Zirkzee, a frustrated figure during the opening exchanges, restored parity within 10 minutes with a striker’s finish following a smart Bruno Fernandes set piece.
Things got better moments later when Mount fired past Dean Henderson from distance, with Fernandes again orchestrating play from a dead-ball position.
Amorim’s men were brighter, hungrier, and visibly eager to claim control of the fixture, suffocating Palace with relentless work rate and arrogance.
Central to most of his side’s dominance was his enigmatic captain, who delivered a superb display of playmaking at the heart of midfield.
Lisandro Martinez added to the feel-good factor in the away end, returning to rapturous applause for the final 10 minutes, ending a horrific period of inactivity following surgery.
Plenty will choose to disregard United’s continued desire to fight during adversity, but this is a Palace side that was unbeaten at home in 12 Premier League fixtures, conceding only nine goals before play began.
Say what you will about Ruben, but it’s one defeat in seven as his side climbs to within a point of Champions League football.
Did you enjoy a well-worked win against a difficult Crystal Palace side? Let us know your thoughts in the comments or across our social channels.
Photo by operations@newsimages.co.uk via depositphotos.com.
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