Michael Carrick continued his unbeaten start back at Manchester United, helped in no small part by Maxence Lacroix’s red card in their 2-1 win over Crystal Palace.
The south London side started the game on the front foot and deservedly took the lead through a Lacroix header after just four minutes.
United muddled their way to half-time and when the Palace centre back was sent off after pulling back Matheus Cunha to win a penalty in the second half, everything unravelled for Oliver Glasner’s side.
Bruno Fernandes finished with a goal and assist as Benjamin Sesko netted his seventh goal in eight games.
Daily Mail Sport’s NATHAN SALT was on hand at Old Trafford to run the rule over the two sides.
Benjamin Sesko jumps for joy after netting the winner against Crystal Palace
MANCHESTER UNITED (4-2-3-1)
Senne Lammens – 6
Palace swapped ends at the pre-match coin toss, ensuring the sun would be in Lammens’ eyes for the first half – but he can’t blame that for how flat-footed he was for the opening goal. His work thereafter was significantly more straightforward.
Diogo Dalot – 5.5
Not one of his better outings. Found himself second to too many balls until life became easier when Palace were playing a man down. Has been one of the brighter sparks since Carrick took over, but this was an afternoon which suggested full-backs still need to be high on United’s shopping list. Booked for a late lunge on Kamada.
Leny Yoro – 5
Completely lost sight of Lacroix for the first goal in a clip that will make him wince when he watches it back. Struggled in the reverse fixture at Selhurst Park too. All valuable lessons for the young defender.
Harry Maguire – 7
Oozes class whenever he plays and it’s why United are making it clear they want him to put pen to paper on a new contract. It’s difficult to think of a notable mistake Maguire has made since Carrick walked back in the door. Definition of a leader by example.
Luke Shaw – 4.5
Given the runaround by Ismaila Sarr and Daniel Munoz before he was forced off with an injury just 24 minutes in. Shaw has been good defensively this season but his lack of pace continues to haunt him, just as it did here.
Luke Shaw cut a dejected figure after limping off after a difficult 24 minutes
Casemiro – 6
Missed a golden opportunity with a header from seven yards out at the end of the first half, where he struggled to exert any control alongside Kobbie Mainoo. Found a better tempo in the second half and sprayed some of his trademark long diagonal balls across Old Trafford. Forced a super, reflex save from Henderson.
Kobbie Mainoo – 5.5
A difficult outing for a player fighting tooth and nail to make England’s World Cup squad. Benefitted, as every United player did, from the extra time on the ball once Palace went down to ten men. Can do more to control matches.
Bryan Mbeumo – 5
Has been immense for so much of this season but he got no joy here. Worth remembering he went away to the Africa Cup of Nations and has played more games than many of his team-mates this season. Will have far better days, so this should be viewed as more of a blip than a concern.
Bruno Fernandes – 8.5
The undisputed best midfielder in the Premier League. As United toiled in the first half, it was Fernandes who shone brightest by trying to raise standards of those around him. Ice cold to convert his penalty and then his ball in for Sesko was as good as you’ll see this season. Irreplaceable.
Bruno Fernandes produced another captain’s display to drag his team to victory
Matheus Cunha – 6
Deploying him off the left makes less sense with every game that passes and this was another tough watch.
Continues to come up with big moments, as he did at Everton and as he did here to win the penalty, but he’s not able to stitch a complete performance together.
Wants and needs to play centrally, but that’s not possible because of how important Fernandes is. Victim of circumstance.
Benjamin Sesko – 7
Starved of service in the first half on the day he was handed his first start under Michael Carrick. Kept getting into the right positions and didn’t lose hope he’d get a big chance, which he buried with aplomb thanks to that delicious Fernandes cross. Seven goals in eight games for the hottest striker in the league.
HEAD COACH: Michael Carrick – 7
Plenty to ponder in stodgier performances against West Ham, Everton, and now Palace. But Carrick has taken seven points from nine in those games; ones that United would have lost earlier in the season. That’s not a bad trait to have.
SUBS
Noussair Mazraoui (for Luke Shaw, 24) – 6
Amad (for Benjamin Sesko, 75) – 6
Ayden Heaven (for Harry Maguire, 85)
Joshua Zirkzee (for Bryan Mbeumo, 85)
CRYSTAL PALACE (3-4-2-1)
Dean Henderson – 7.5
Cannot be blamed for either of the goals. In fact, Palace would have been down and out long before that had it not been for the ex-United goalkeeper’s saves.
Made a crucial save to deny Fernandes’ free-kick just before half-time and was ninja-like to stop Casemiro and Kobbie Mainoo in the second. Booked for time wasting less than four minutes into the second half, which was silly.
Chris Richards – 7
Very unfortunate to come out on the losing side because he was one of the best players out on the pitch after 45 minutes. Showed good leadership in the back three and managed to shut down Sesko for the most part. Job became infinitely harder when they went down to 10 men.
Maxence Lacroix – 5
Hero to zero. Opened the scoring with a pin-point header across goal but then trudged down the tunnel after his blatant pull back on Matheus Cunha gave United a penalty and saw Lacroix shown a red card.
Maxence Lacroix pulled back Matheus Cunha to give away a penalty and received a red card for his troubles
Jaydee Canvot – 6.5
Bullied by Sesko for United’s second goal and while he showed flashes of his quality, he showed himself to be too eager to jump in at times. Canvot, still only 19, is a real talent, however, and will be better for this experience.
Daniel Munoz – 6
Started with pace and purpose but faded as the contest wore on. That will be one of Palace’s biggest frustrations given how make-shift United’s left side was. Fernandes drifting out to the left seemed to throw him off.
Adam Wharton – 5.5
Set to cause a royal rumble in the transfer market this summer, along with fellow international Elliot Anderson.
But this wasn’t a performance that did much to make him the No 1 target in the eyes of United fans. A total of 30 touches from 68 minutes while playing central midfield underscores how he was on the periphery of this game.
Daichi Kamada – 6
Neat and tidy in the middle of the park. The issue is that it doesn’t feel like he has another gear he can go into to move the needle when a game is tight. Booked for a cynical pull back on Mbeumo.
Tyrick Mitchell – 6.5
There’s a lot to like about Mitchell’s game. He nullified Mbeumo – no mean feat – in his defensive responsibilities and always shows a willingness to get forward to support attacks. A manager’s dream.
Brennan Johnson – 6
Set Palace on their way with his pin-point corner landing right onto the head of Lacroix in the first five minutes. But he managed just 15 total touches on a day where you again find yourself asking: what is he really good at? Not sure I know the answer.
Ismaila Sarr – 7
Such a threat with his pace and trickery, he looks like the next man off the Palace conveyor belt of attacking talent that will eventually be sold for massive money. The biggest frustration for Sarr will have been that his team-mates didn’t give him the ball more because he was turning United inside and out in the opening exchanges.
Jorgen Strand Larsen – 5.5
Failed to register a shot on target but tried to put himself about up against Yoro. Struggled to make a real impact, though, before he was taken off before the hour mark.
MANAGER: Oliver Glasner – 6
Looked to be out-coaching his counterpart until he had one hand tied behind his back with Lacroix’s dismissal. Mightily unlucky given he couldn’t rally his side to find a response even after they were reduced to 10 men.
