Sabasports Match Preview
Premier League: Crystal Palace vs Manchester United
Kickoff Time: 2024-09-22 00:30 (HKT)
Source:REUTERS/Molly Darlington
Crystal Palace’s start to the season can only be described as bleak, as they failed to secure all three points even against newly promoted Leicester City at home in the last round. After four consecutive league matches without a win, head coach Oliver Glasner is facing a crisis regarding his position. Currently, Crystal Palace has a relatively young squad, with an average player age of just 25. The club’s management hopes that by rejuvenating the squad, they can enhance the team’s competitiveness. Unfortunately, most of the newly signed players are still in the adaptation phase, leading to insufficient cohesion among the players and a higher number of passing mistakes during matches, which is the main reason for the team’s poor performance at the start of the season. However, from the EFL Cup match in midweek, it can be seen that the players are beginning to develop better synergy on the field. For Crystal Palace, the key to this match lies in how to leverage the home advantage and execute more aggressive and attacking combinations. It is expected that Crystal Palace will adopt a high-pressing tactic to limit Manchester United’s movement in midfield and attack; at the same time, the Palace will utilize quick breakthroughs on the wings to create scoring opportunities.
Manchester United is facing a grueling schedule of seven matches in 23 days. The team has started this stretch with two consecutive wins and is currently on an upward trend. Particularly noteworthy is their 7-0 victory over Barnsley in the EFL Cup midweek, marking the first time under Erik ten Hag that they scored at least five goals in a single match. Throughout the match, the players tore apart Barnsley’s defense with quick passing combinations and agile movements. Whenever Manchester United regained possession in their defense, they could advance their attack into the opponent’s penalty area with just two or three simple passes. Compared to their previous conservative tactics, Ten Hag encourages forwards to seek opportunities in the opponent’s box with confidence and energy. Although Manchester United achieved a resounding 7-goal victory, the match revealed some shortcomings: six of the seven goals came from counterattacks. One can imagine that if opponents gather their forces to defend in their own half, will Manchester United’s attack remain vibrant when they lose space to advance?
Statistically, Manchester United averages 22.5 tackles per game, ranking first in the league; Crystal Palace averages 21.8 tackles per game, ranking second. This indicates that both teams are strong in midfield, and it is expected that both sides will concentrate their forces to battle in midfield. The midfield battle requires a solid presence across all three lines, and wing players need to fill in the gaps. In terms of the willingness of forward players to track back, Crystal Palace outshines Manchester United. With the support of home fans, it is believed that Crystal Palace can secure points at home.
Crystal Palace’s Last 5 Games: WDDWL
24-09-18 QPR 1-2 Crystal Palace
24-09-14 Crystal Palace 2-2 Leicester City
24-09-01 Chelsea 1-1 Crystal Palace
24-08-28 Crystal Palace 4-0 Norwich City
24-08-24 Crystal Palace 0-2 West Ham United
Manchester United’s Last 5 Games: WWLLW
24-09-18 Manchester United 7-0 Barnsley
24-09-14 Southampton 0-3 Manchester United
24-09-01 Manchester United 0-3 Liverpool
24-08-24 Brighton 2-1 Manchester United
24-08-17 Manchester United 1-0 Fulham
Head To Head Record:
24-05-07 Crystal Palace 4-0 Manchester United
23-09-30 Manchester United 0-1 Crystal Palace
23-09-27 Manchester United 3-0 Crystal Palace
23-02-04 Manchester United 2-1 Crystal Palace
23-01-19 Crystal Palace 1-1 Manchester United
Prediction: Crystal Palace to win or Draw