Crystal Palace beat Man United 2-0 to pile pressure on Amorim

Manchester United slumped to another disappointing home defeat as Crystal Palace claimed a 2-0 victory at Old Trafford on Sunday, marking United’s fifth home loss in their last six Premier League games.

Jean-Philippe Mateta was the hero for Palace, scoring both goals in the second half to hand Oliver Glasner’s side their fourth win at Old Trafford in six seasons. The victory lifts Palace above United into 12th place, while the Red Devils drop to 13th, underlining their continued struggles under Ruben Amorim.

Despite winning three consecutive matches across all competitions, United’s recent momentum came to a halt as their struggles in front of goal were exposed once again. Amorim’s decision to bench both Rasmus Højlund and Joshua Zirkzee left United without a recognized striker, forcing midfielder Kobbie Mainoo to start in a false nine role.

Mainoo came close to scoring in the first half, striking the post after a bright opening spell for United, but the home side’s attacking threat faded as the game progressed.

Palace, who have lost just once in their last seven league games, capitalized on United’s lack of cutting edge. Eberechi Eze, initially sidelined due to injury, made an instant impact after coming off the bench. His free-kick led to Maxence Lacroix’s header bouncing off the bar, allowing Mateta to pounce and fire Palace into the lead.

Things went from bad to worse for United as Lisandro Martínez was stretchered off with a suspected serious knee injury. Palace showed no mercy, sealing the three points when Daniel Muñoz burst through United’s defence and unselfishly squared the ball for Mateta to slot home his second goal of the night—his sixth in five games.

The result marks Palace’s third consecutive Premier League away win for the first time since 2019. Glasner’s side have now picked up 16 points on the road since December—more than any other top-flight team in that period.

For United, the defeat further deepens their struggles under Amorim, as they remain without back-to-back league wins under the Portuguese manager. They have now lost seven of their first 13 home league matches this season—matching their worst-ever start at Old Trafford, a record that dates back to the 1893/94 season.

As United’s season continues to unravel, Amorim faces increasing pressure to find solutions, with the Red Devils now at risk of missing out on European qualification.