Manchester United vs Crystal Palace : Official Matchday Thread - 05/12/21 @ 2pm

[SIZE="4"]Man United - Last 5 games: Arsenal - Chelsea - Watford - Man City - Spurs

[SIZE="4"]Crystal Palace - Last 5 games: Leeds - Villa - Burnley - Wolves - Man City

__________________________________________________

Welcome to Old Trafford…


Rangnick's First Press Conference

Brief History Of: Ralf Rangnick

Rangnick in ‘Coaches Voice’

__________________________________________________

[SIZE="4"]Team News:

Man United:
AWB likely to be fit, Matic unlikely. Shaw still being assessed so could feature. Varane, Pogba and Cavani out.

Crystal Palace:
Joel Ward Suspended. Joachim Andersen and James McArthur are unlikely to feature. Nathan Ferguson injured.

__________________________________________________

[SIZE="4"]Previous Meeting:

We last hosted Crystal Palace at Old Trafford on the 19th September 2020, the opening day of last season. And the season got started in the worst way possible.

Just 7 minutes into the opening game Schlupp was released down the left wing and managed to cut a low ball across the goal for Andros Townsend to apply the finish to the opening goal of the game.

15 minutes later The Scottish Player struck an effort on goal from the edge of the penalty area, and saw it deflected narrowly wide for a corner

There was time for just one more effort before the half time break when Ayew picked up the ball on the left. He took the ball into the penalty area, sent The Scottish Player for a packet of crisps and fired an effort at goal which forced a relatively comfortable save from De Gea.

We went into half time 0-1 down. Time for a fightback?

It looked like that fightback was on at the 60 minute mark when Fosu-Mensah clipped a lovely ball into the box for half time subsitute Greenwood to meet it at the backpost with a free header. But despite getting some power behind his headed effort, the accuracy was all wrong, and it passed safely by Guaita's post.

At 70 minutes, the major turning point in the game. Pouncing on a loose ball in midifeld, the trio of Ayew, Zaha and Townsend executed a neat exchange to put Ayew in on the counter attack, he struck what seemed to be a tame effort at goal with the outside of this foot, which landed straight into De Gea's arms, and play continued. However, the game was then stopped while VAR reviewed the effort at goal. Despite not one Palace player appealing for anything at the time, some gimp with a monitor had reviewed Ayews effort at goal and saw that it had completely accidentally deflected off Lindelofs hand from about a yard away. It was reviewed pitchside by the referee on the day, and a penalty to Palace was awarded. And who was referee that day? Oh, just one Martin Atkinson. Ayew stepped up to take the penalty and... SAVED! De Gea managed to get down to his right and keep the ball out, before diving at Ayews feet to collect the rebound. Not that it mattered, because VAR felt the need to order the penalty to be retaken as De Gea's foot was not on his line... Just. Zaha stepped up for the retake and smashed it into the top corner. 0-2.

Now was the time United needed something to happen, and 10 minutes later it did. A cross into the Palace box rebounded off a Palace player and straight into the path of subsitute and debutant Donny Van De Beek, who passed the ball into the side of the net. 1-2 and game on!..

... For a couple of minutes anyway, because just 5 minutes after we found a way back into the game, we threw it away again. This time some untimely and unsurprising fannying about from Lindelof gifted Zaha the ball at the edge of the United area. He held off Lindelof's desperate attempts to make up for his #@&%!-up, and struck shot that nestled in the bottom corner at the near post.

Game over. 1-3. Shocking start to the season.

__________________________________________________

[SIZE="4"]Match Tit Bits

We failed to win in both league fixtures against Palace last season, drawing one and losing the other. The time we went three in a row against Palace without a win was during a run of four winless games between 1925 and 1970.

We’ve lost the last two league games against Palace at home, that’s as many as we lost in the preceding 22 home league games against the same opposition (won 17, drawn 3 and lost 2).

Palace have taken 7 points off us in the last four league meetings home and away, that’s as many points as they took from us in the previous 23 league games against us.

Palace’s last visit to Manchester ended with them beating Manchester City in the league this season. The last time a London side won away at both Manchester clubs in the same season was Arsenal back in 1990-1991.

We have now conceded in 15 consecutive home games in all competitions, our second longest run without a clean sheet at home since a 21 game run that ended in March 1959.

__________________________________________________

[SIZE="4"]Match Prediction:

Ralf Rangnicks Reds Run Riot.

3-0

[SIZE="4"]vBet Thread

Sir Ralf of Rang needs to do one massive, balls-out, unexpected change imo to set his stall out.

I've got an idea what that might be, but tbh, I'm too afraid to even type it

Prediction: Jones to injure himself when ralf turns the light out during his pre-match adrenaline booster

Originally Posted by Drexl

I've got an idea what that might be, but tbh, I'm too afraid to even type it

Invade Poland?

Saffers to start a “Ralf must be sacked TONIGHT” thread after about 60 minutes.

Originally Posted by waynes ear's

Invade Poland?

Well, I was thinking more along the lines of playing Greenwood and Beek as a pair of marauding mischief makers, but i like your idea better

Originally Posted by Drexl

Well, I was thinking more along the lines of playing Greenwood and Beek as a pair of marauding mischief makers, but i like your idea better

Yours would be nice too. Drop Rashford and one of Fred / McShite, play Sancho in his right position

4-0 Palace

2-2

Ralphie OUT

1-1

1-3

2-0

2-1 united.

Palace not been as good past couple of games. Vieira tinkering too much. Us to win by two clear goals.

United win by something comfortable to nil. Please. Ffs.

Patty delivers 5am evem on a Sunday

I think we will desperately defend a clean sheet more than anything

0 0

Or 2-0

We’re not even on £#%&!ing telly adding insult to the injury of playing Thursday/Sunday. Scheduling £#%&!ers.

New Era Begins Today

Y'all Ready ?...

https://twitter.com/ftblnaghelen/status/1467417648883396608?s=20

Originally Posted by Bion

Y'all

I think anyone anticipating big changes in personnel is going to be very disappointed.

Besides, who do we actually want to see that we don’t already? Donny? I think McFred and forum rebellion is far more likely.

Originally Posted by Dr Stranger

I think anyone anticipating big changes in personnel is going to be very disappointed.

Besides, who do we actually want to see that we don’t already? Donny? I think McFred and forum rebellion is far more likely.

Would like to see Tony in for Rashford.

Originally Posted by NedKelly

Would like to see Tony in for Rashford.

Not in the squad.

Tbh, I’m less concerned with who we play than how we play. Front foot, aggressive and switched on from minute one. Be nice to actually score and early goal and control a game. Spurs away probably the only time we done that in months.