Manchester United Frustrated in Stalemate Against Resilient Crystal Palace

Manchester United’s inability to convert their dominance into goals led to a goalless draw against Crystal Palace, extending their winless streak at Selhurst Park to five visits (D3, L2). Despite controlling large portions of the game, United were left frustrated by a resilient Palace defense and a standout performance by goalkeeper Dean Henderson.

United, buoyed by two consecutive victories after the international break, arrived at Selhurst Park with expectations high but memories fresh of a dismal performance at the same ground last season. From the outset, Erik ten Hag’s men asserted their dominance, but converting chances into goals proved elusive. Alejandro Garnacho, who found himself through on goal thanks to a clever pass from Joshua Zirkzee, was the first to test Henderson. However, the former United shot-stopper was equal to the challenge, producing a crucial save.

Matthijs de Ligt nearly put United ahead with a powerful header, but Henderson’s reflexes once again denied the visitors from point-blank range. Garnacho had another opportunity before half-time, this time from a Zirkzee flick-on, but Henderson continued his heroic form, keeping the game level.

Crystal Palace, despite being under constant pressure, remained a threat on the counterattack, with Eberechi Eze leading their charge. Eze had a clear opportunity just before the break, but his tame shot was comfortably saved by André Onana, keeping the score 0-0 at the interval.

Sensing the need for a shift in momentum, Palace manager Oliver Glasner made a double substitution, bringing on Ismaïla Sarr and Jefferson Lerma after half-time. Sarr immediately made an impact, linking up well with Eze, but United quickly regained control of the game. Bruno Fernandes came close to breaking the deadlock with a curling effort from outside the box, but it drifted just wide.

Looking to inject more firepower into his attack, Ten Hag introduced Marcus Rashford, hoping the forward could continue his recent scoring streak. However, it was Palace who nearly broke the deadlock, as Onana had to pull off a brilliant double save, first denying Eddie Nketiah and then quickly reacting to Sarr’s follow-up.

The tension between the teams peaked when Lisandro Martínez received a yellow card for a heavy challenge on Daichi Kamada, with Palace players and fans demanding a red card. Despite Palace's late surge, including missed chances from Eze, the game ended without a goal.

Crystal Palace earned their third draw of the season, and while they would have felt lucky to escape with a point, United will rue their missed chances in a game where they were clearly the better side. With their lack of clinical finishing continuing to plague them, Ten Hag’s side will have to regroup and focus on converting their dominance into victories if they hope to remain competitive in the top-flight race.