Erik ten Hag drops Marcus Rashford but Manchester United fail to put Crystal Palace away

Erik Ten Hag can see only improvement and great strides forward, although five games in, Manchester United are 11th with seven points and strong indications that the kind of volatility that has characterised their last decade still haunts them.

They should have been clear in the first half in which they dominated a dysfunctional Crystal Palace side overrun in midfield and wobbling at every set-piece. Alejandro Garnacho and Bruno Fernandes clipped the bar within seconds of each other and Palace seemed about to crumble. Yet by the final stages of the time added on at the end, and Palace having rediscovered themselves, United might even have lost it.

Ten Hag attacked the Sky Sports punditry afterwards – Jamie Redknapp ostensibly although no names were given – for “speculation” over why Marcus Rashford had been left out. “We played a really good game,” Ten Hag said later. “The only thing we criticise – we were not clinical in the box”. Indeed, and neither were Palace who had two fabulous chances at the feet of their best player, Eberechi Eze, just before half time and then with around 20 minutes to play.

What are United? Hard to say, although at least better than the side demolished by Oliver Glasner’s Palace in May. “The performance is good but we are not happy with the disappointing score,” he said. “I know one thing in football – there is a long way to go.” There is – in both the season and the team’s development. For all the blitzing of Palace’s goal in the first half, it felt like there was something missing.

Ten Hag eventually substituted Joshua Zirkzee after the hour, to put Rashford on in his place. The young Dutchman is clearly finding his feet in the Premier League although at United there is only limited time for adjustment. Garnacho and Amad Diallo looked a much greater attacking threat in the first half, exploiting the inside channels between wing-back and centre-half. As at Southampton last week, Zirkzee just never took the chances that came his way.

From Lisandro Martinez there was a second half two-footed stamp that was dangerously close to Palace’s Japanese midfielder Daichi Kamara and was somewhere between a yellow card and a red. The referee David Coote opted for the former and VAR saw no reason for a second look. “Fortunately he [Martinez] touched the ball and not the shin of the player,” Oliver Glasner said later. “He could break his leg.”

Glasner said that, nonetheless, the decision felt just about right. Yet that moment did again raise the question of Martinez’s judgement in an otherwise solid performance. Ten Hag had started with Rashford on the bench which prompted the questions from Redknapp about a possible rift between player and manager. Ten Hag had drawn attention to Rashford’s lifestyle last season and Redknapp wondered if that re-opened old wounds.

The United manager insisted it was nothing more than his usual rotation of starting places among a big and experienced squad. “I heard already speculation from some pundits,” Ten Hag said. “That is crazy. I would almost say that, as a person, you are not okay when you bring [sic] such speculation if you don’t know. This is just rotation.”

As it turned out Rashford’s substitute performance was of little note. There was not the impact either that Ten Hag might have hoped for from Rasmus Hojlund off the bench and by the end it felt like Palace might just win it. They would not, as Glasner also conceded, have deserved that either.

The Palace manager had made some big calls at half-time. Overrun in midfield he substituted Jefferson Lerma for Adam Wharton who had struggled to find his target with passes and was caught in possession. Lacking any running in behind, Glasner said that he had to replace Jean-Philippe Mateta with Ismaila Sarr. It revitalised Palace.

In goal for Palace, the former United goalkeeper Dean Henderson had a fine game. He stopped Garnacho’s shot when the latter ran clear in the first half and flung himself at another after the break. For a long time it felt like the United goal would inevitably come.

Palace were all over the place. Marc Guehi’s anticipation rescued them on occasions. Henderson saved from Matthijs De Ligt when he headed a corner unchallenged. Then at the end of the first half, the first Palace attack of any note produced a chance for their most talented goalscorer. A nicely weighted cutback from Tyrick Mitchell into the feet of Eze and he side-footed his shot straight at Andre Onana.

In the second half, Onana truly saved United. There were two saves in two seconds on 65 minutes. The first from Eddie Nketiah and then again from Sarr. Suddenly it looked like Palace could win and the big chance fell to their best player. Working on 33 per cent possession, they were more direct and much more of a threat. After a smart ball out right, Eze side-footed his shot wide from another well-placed Mitchell cut-back.

“It is so different because we can work on the team and build structures,” Ten Hag said of the new season. “We have to play on the training pitch. We can bring out some consistency in selection and that helps of course to bring the patterns and routines in. Then you play better and can take more control in games, as we did in the first half when we dominated the game.”

There were certainly periods of the first half when that was clear in United’s play but when the chances came and went, Palace were able to adapt. Already, every game counts – however long there might be left in the season. ends

Palace share goalless draw with United – as it happened

08:07 PM BST

Thank you for joining us

That brings an end to our coverage of this Premier League tie as Manchester United were held to a goalless draw against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park. Thank you for joining us!

08:06 PM BST

‘We ate them alive’ says Ten Hag

Talking to Sky Sports, Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag said: “When we don’t win, I’m not content. We should have won. I think first half, we ate them alive. Then in the second half, it was more in the balance but first half, we should have scored one or two goals.”

On whether United’s finishing let them down, he said: “I don’t think [so], we played very good. Total control of the game. In and out of possession, I think we played very good. The only thing was in the box, that is where the game is always decided. We should be more clinical there.”

Discussing Palace’s chances, he said: “It’s always one chance and they got the chance at the 44th minute, it was a big chance [that] they got. By that time, we should have been 2-0, 3-0 up.

On how the game changed in the second period, Ten Hag said: “They closed the midfield more and they had some good counter attacks, so it was more difficult.

“The first place for us to get through and the flip side is then they got more space and they had some good counters. I think it was a brilliant save from Andre Onana twice in one action, it was really brilliant.”

08:02 PM BST

‘Dean Henderson kept us alive’, says Glasner

Speaking to BBC MOTD, Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner, said: “Dean Henderson kept us alive and in the first half we have never played like this.

“I don’t talk about tactics [we played] without courage in and out of possession. Very passive and this is how we don’t want to play, but it happened.

“The chance at the end of the first half gave us some confidence - we spoke very honestly at half-time.

“You can always lose a game, but when you lose it you lose it with how we played in the second half.

“Second half was much better, we could’ve won the game, but honestly it was a bit too much today.

“We have to be critical of us when we play like first half it makes no sense to play like this.”

Discussing the half-time changes, he said: “We needed the runs in behind and we knew the plan before was to play direct and in behind - we didn’t play there and we needed a physical presence in midfield.

“Everyone did it in a better way in the second half. We switched the system to control the middle, at the end it worked and I think with the big chances we had in the second half the point is OK for us.”

Discussing the clean sheets, he said: “Both goalkeepers, the clean sheet is not the tactical behaviours of the teams. Unbelievable saves form both goalkeepers.”

07:59 PM BST

‘It will all come together’, says Henderson

Some more from Dean Henderson speaking to Sky Sports when asked whether there is more to come from Palace.

He said: “We lost some key players in the summer, everyone knows that, but we brought in some good players too. It just takes time for people to get up to speed, get on the same level and understand the system.

“We’ve got a a great system here and we are all fully behind the manager. We believe that it will all come together once everyone is up to full fitness and people start to understand their roles a bit more.

“We need to just be Palace, be hard to beat and hard to play against, we need to get back to that level that we reached at the end of last season.”

07:50 PM BST

Henderson and Palace ‘delighted with the point’

Crystal Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson, speaking to Sky Sports, said: “I think in the end it was [a good point]. We missed a couple of key opportunities. There was one in the second half where we could have scrambled the ball over the line, Andre Onana made a great save and we were unlucky in the end.

“I think it was certainly a game of two halves. After the first half we will take the point and be delighted with it.”

On if expectations were raised by last season’s win, he said: “No I think we were attacking the game to win it and we had a game plan to do so. I don’t think it quite worked in the first half. We made some tweaks in the second half, which made us more aggressive and on the front foot, and that gave us more success in the second half.”

Discussing the half-time message from the manager, Henderson said: “He spoke about the intensity and belief. He was frustrated with the way we were playing, he felt we were being too cautious. He said to take the safety cap off and go for it. Nights like tonight as the underdog you’ve got nothing to lose, so you have to go for it.”

07:46 PM BST

‘We were way better than them’, says Onana

Asked whether Palace had the better chances, Onana told Sky Sports: “No I think we were better than them, I think we were way better than them, we had more chances than them, we had the best chance during the game.

“Of course its a very good team but today we were way better than them.”

On whether the clean sheet provides a lot of positives, he said: “Yes 100% it’s always nice to have a clean sheet but the most important thing - especially playing for Manchester United - you have to win.

“We came here with that mentality so we go back home disappointed.”

Discussing his double-save, he said: “I don’t think it is so important because we didn’t win. We are such a big club. When we move somewhere, we have the ambition to try to win.”

07:38 PM BST

Player of the match performance from Henderson

07:37 PM BST

Martinez lucky to escape red

There was a moment of madness from Martinez who jumped blatantly two-footed into a challenge with Kamada. He didn’t make contact with the Palace midfielder but it was an incredibly dangerous challenge that could have easily warranted a red.

07:33 PM BST

Silver-lining for United

Despite the disappointment in the attacking third, United have now kept four clean sheets in their last six league games - one more than they registered in the previous 24.

07:29 PM BST

Bottom half for United

That results see United remain in the bottom half in 11th after wins for Tottenham and Fulham earlier today.

As for Palace they stay in 16th as one of six teams without a win after defeat for Wolves and draws involving the other four.

07:22 PM BST

Full time: Crystal Palace 0 Manchester United 0

After a late yellow card for Lacroix and free-kick for United that is cleared by Palace, the referee blows the full-time whistle on this contest.

Palace’s wait for a first league win this season continues but they will be delighted for a point this evening and their first clean sheet this season - largely thanks to Dean Henderson.

United’s wait for a win at Selhurst Park in the league extends to five game and after creating plenty of chances in the opening period, they struggled to carve Palace open after the break.

07:20 PM BST

90+3 mins: Crystal Palace 0 Manchester United 0

Schlupp is immediately involved down Palace’s left. He makes it to the byline and drills a low ball into the near post where Sarr looks to flick it on but it’s saved by Onana and out for a corner.

Hughes’ corner is flapped out by Onana before Garnacho completes the clearance. The game is paused by a knock to the head on Martinez.

07:18 PM BST

90+1 mins: Crystal Palace 0 Manchester United 0

Martinez slides a nice ball into the left channel for Hojlund to latch onto. He does well to hold it up but under pressure his cross is weak and Palace clear. Fernandes plays a nicely-shaped cross towards Hojlund from the right but Guehi is assured in how he deals with it and clears.

Mazraoui floats a longer ball to the United forward and his flicked header fails to find a runner. Guehi evetually shields a United ball out for a goal-kick to offer a moment’s relief. Schlupp is on for Eze as four minutes of added time are announced.

07:14 PM BST

87 mins: Crystal Palace 0 Manchester United 0

After a good spell of Palace possession, Henderson brings it to end with a long punt directed nowhere near any of his team-mates. It’s now United’s turn to probe but Palace are in a nice shape and Rashford’s long ball is gathered by Henderson.

07:10 PM BST

83 mins: Crystal Palace 0 Manchester United 0

Into the final ten minutes and feels like this game could still go either way. Fernandes wraps a ball into Hojlund’s feet but his first touch lets him down.

The Palace fans are still in good voice late on here as they win a free-kick in a promising area. It’s cleared though before Will Hughes takes a yellow for body checking Ugarte looking to counter.

07:07 PM BST

80 mins: Crystal Palace 0 Manchester United 0

There will be a couple of changes for United now as Ugarte and Hojlund come on for Eriksen and Diallo. Rashford hasn’t quite had the impact he would have hoped to, can these latest substitutes make the difference?

The Englishman, now operating on the left, looks to play Hojlund into the left channel but overhits it. A Dalot slip allows Munoz space to cross it and he delivers it over everyone so that Hughes picks it up at the back post. He drills it low and hard on goal but Onana gathers easily.

07:02 PM BST

Eze and Fernandes the creators

Entertaining game. United have created enough to have won it but just cannot bury Palace. Zirkzee is off and another game has passed him by. Eze and Fernandes the two most creative players on the pitch and if you had to call it, the winner - if it comes - looks most likely to be created or scored by one of them.

07:01 PM BST

73 mins: Crystal Palace 0 Manchester United 0

Oh what a chance for Eze... he has to score! The midfielder feeds Sarr in the right of the Palace box. He chops back selling the United defenders and tees it up on a plate for Eze who side-foots it wide of the right post. A glorious chance!

Down the other end United have a corner that is claimed easily by Henderson.

06:57 PM BST

69 mins: Crystal Palace 0 Manchester United 0

Down the other end Fernandes wins a free-kick in a dangerous position on United’s right. It’s delivered to the back post by Eriksen and in the midst of an almighty scramble, De Ligt is claiming there was a handball. The VAR check says no though.

Richards clears the resulting corner before Fernandes fires wide again.

06:55 PM BST

66 mins: Crystal Palace 0 Manchester United 0

An incredible double-save by Onana. Nketiah picks it up on the edge of the box and lets fly with a low drilled effort towards the bottom right corner with his left foot. Onana gets down well to save before bouncing up to save the rebound from Sarr with his fingertips. It’s the week of double-saves after Raya’s heroics in Europe for Arsenal.

That is Nketiah’s last involvement as he is brought off for Hughes. A somewhat negative change from Glasner there.

06:52 PM BST

64 mins: Crystal Palace 0 Manchester United 0

Rashford is immediately involved in a move that finishes with a vital nterception by Munoz at the back post. The ball falls to Garnacho to the left of the box, he lets fly and forces Henderson into a smart save.

A really strange moment on the edge of the box as Martinez really blatently jumps two-footed into a tackle. He stayed on his feet and didn’t make contact with the Palace player which saved him from the red but such a strange decision from the defender to go in like that. He’s very lucky to only get the yellow. Henderson is also booked for his complaints about the challenge

06:49 PM BST

Big calls from Glasner

Big half time calls from Oliver Glasner - Mateta and Wharton both off. Palace look a bit more dynamic with Lerma and Sarr on the pitch, but they are still struggling to keep the ball. Rashford coming on for United who are not creating the chances they did in the first half.

06:48 PM BST

62 mins: Crystal Palace 0 Manchester United 0

A great cross from Mitchell finds Sarr who goes down under the pressure of Martinez. Enormous appeals from Palace fans more than players but it would have been incredibly soft. VAR agrees.

Diallo goes on the outside this time and plays a ball across the six yard box but it’s defended well. Rashford is now on in place of Zirkzee who hasn’t offered a great deal. Can the winger make it four in three?

06:46 PM BST

59 mins: Crystal Palace 0 Manchester United 0

A long ball into the left channel is nearly gathered by Garnacho but runs on through to Henderson. The game has gone scrappy in these last few minutes. You feel a United change is surely imminent.

United have a couple of tidy combinations in and around the box but it feels like it’s all a bit precise. Rashford is now stripped and receiving his instructions.

06:42 PM BST

56 mins: Crystal Palace 0 Manchester United 0

Fernandes plays a tidy one-two with Zirkzee on the edge of the Palace box before looking to curl it into the top left corner with the outside of his boot but he gets a bit too much toe on it and it goes a foot or two wide.

Eze draws a foul from De Ligt to ease the pressure on Palace. United soon assert control of the ball again and have Palace in their own half.

06:39 PM BST

52 mins: Crystal Palace 0 Manchester United 0

Eriksen looks to slide Diallo in but Richards manages to get his body in the way. United then work it out to the winger once again a couple of moments later. He cuts in onto his left foot and looks to curl one into the top left. The effort takes a deflection and nearly loops in but goes just over.

Eriksen picks out Fernandes on the edge of the box from the corner but he slices his volley and is met with ironic jeers from the crowd.

06:35 PM BST

48 mins: Crystal Palace 0 Manchester United 0

A delightful roulette from Eze gets the crowd on their feet. He plays a lovely one-two with Sarr who produces a cheeky flick to slide Eze into the box but he gets crowded at the final moment to win a corner.

A moment of pinball is ended by the referee’s whistle after he sees a handball by a Palace arm. A brief check by VAR on whether it was in fact a Palace arm rather than a United one soon backs the onfield decision.

06:33 PM BST

46 mins: Crystal Palace 0 Manchester United 0

The visitors get the second period underway kicking from left to right. How soon will it be till we see changes from Ten Hag?

06:32 PM BST

Double-change for Palace

A couple of changes are on the way for Palace with Sarr and Lerma set to replace Mateta and Wharton at the break.

06:31 PM BST

Positive signs for Palace

Palace have won three of their last five Premier League home matches which were level at half-time.

Meanwhile United have won just one of their last seven league games which were level at the break.

06:28 PM BST

Important half from Henderson

06:24 PM BST

Nail-biting stuff

06:20 PM BST

Dominant United for most of opening period

United were dominant for all but the last minutes of the half. They had lots of chances – and hit the bar twice in the space of a couple of seconds. Garnacho and Diallo have dominated their respective flanks. But Palace finally got on the front foot at the end of the half and Eze had a great chance to score. The home fans have been angry in parts and their side has misplaced a lot of passes. But as soon as Palace have attacked, United too have looked vulnerable.

06:18 PM BST

Half-time: Crystal Palace 0 Manchester United 0

The first-half is brought to a close, ending a good spell of pressure of Palace after a dominant half by United.

The best chances for Ten Hag’s men came through a De Ligt header from a corner and when Fernandes hit the bar on the rebound of Garnacho’s effort that also hit the woodwork.

Palace really struggled to create anything of note until that Eze chance on the brink of half-time.

06:15 PM BST

45 mins: Crystal Palace 0 Manchester United 0

The best move of the match from Palace. Nketiah drives across the pitch from right to left and plays a clever ball between De Ligt and Mazraoui to find Mitchell. The left-back pulls it back to Eze on the penalty spot in a fair bit of space but his side-footed effort is tame and easy for Onana.

06:13 PM BST

42 mins: Crystal Palace 0 Manchester United 0

United work it well out to Fernandes on the right flank and he plays a sumptuous ball across the front of the six yard box that Zirkzee manages to get a toe onto but Henderson tips it just wide of the left post.

From another replay it looks like it may have come off a Palace defender rather than Zirkzee but a fine stop either way.

06:11 PM BST

41 mins: Crystal Palace 0 Manchester United 0

United combine well down Palace’s left and Fernandes works room for a cross but his floated delivery from the byline is easy pickings for Henderson.

Mainoo picks up a lovely pocket of space and looks to curl one into the far corner but it is blocked by the head of his own team-mate in Eriksen.

06:08 PM BST

38 mins: Crystal Palace 0 Manchester United 0

Nketiah wins it back from Garnacho before drawing the foul from the winger as he looks to counter which earns the United man the first yellow card of the game.

Mazraoui is judged to have handballed it and Palace have a chance to deliver it into the United box. Zirkzee gets his head on it but it goes behind for a corner. Wharton plays it short unsuccessfully but Kamada puts a great challenge in to stop the counter.

06:05 PM BST

Frustration from home fans

United are getting in behind Palace on both flanks between centre-half and wing-back. Garnacho shot against the bar on the left after running away from Munoz. Diallo running the same channel on the right. Can hear the frustration from the home fans at the shape of their team. They cannot get out their own half, and Palace keep giving it back to United.

06:04 PM BST

34 mins: Crystal Palace 0 Manchester United 0

United win yet another corner down their right hand side. Will Palace keep a better eye on De Ligt from this one? Perhaps so but it was directed to the back post once again and Zirkzee this time was able to win the header. He nods it down just past the left post and has his head in his hands.

Palace give the ball away cheaply in their own half to audible groans from the home fans.

06:01 PM BST

Early assessment as Palace vulnerable

Palace looked all over the place defensively in the early part of the game - and they are fortunate not to have conceded. Matthijs De Ligt should have scored with a header, and there have been other chances. United in control and they’ve been handed a lot of that possession by a very deep five-man Palace defence. Home side seem to be inviting the pressure.

05:59 PM BST

28 mins: Crystal Palace 0 Manchester United 0

United hit the bar twice! Dalot picks the ball up in midfield and plays a terrific throough ball to Garnacho inside the box. The winger takes it first time as he looks to curl it into to top right corner but he strikes the woodwork.

The ball rebounds to Fernandes who strikes his volley into the ground before it bounces up and hits the top of the bar this time. So close to the opener for United. You would maybe expect Fernandes to tuck that away.

05:55 PM BST

25 mins: Crystal Palace 0 Manchester United 0

Mateta is found with a long ball into the right channel and he does well to hold it up initially to allow others to join him but his eventual ball into the box is deflected to Onana.

Palace have sured things up slightly after that flurry of chances for the visitors as the game descends into a period of few chances but one of United dominance in possession.

05:49 PM BST

20 mins: Crystal Palace 0 Manchester United 0

Garnacho has a bit of space out on the left again and he looks to play a one-two with Fernandes into the box but Henderson is able to smother it. It had to be very precise to come off there.

The winger gives Lacroix a bit of a shove as he clears a long ball for a throw-in but David Coote waves things on to the defender’s frustration.

05:46 PM BST

15 mins: Crystal Palace 0 Manchester United 0

After the corner is half-cleared, Eriksen delivers it back in towards Martinez who manages to squirm a shot away but there is not enough power to beat Henderson from a tight angle.

There was a brief check by the Video Assistant Referee for a handball by Guehi just before it dropped to Martinez but it is quickly cleared. A busy start for Henderson!

05:44 PM BST

13 mins: Crystal Palace 0 Manchester United 0

Wharton is caught on the ball on the halfway line trying to do a little too much after an attacking Palace free-kick but United fail to capitalise on the situation as Guehi and Mitchell get back to double up on Zirkzee.

United earn themselves another corner and it’s the ame combination of Eriksen to De Ligt but this time it’s a huge chance as the Dutchman has a clear run to a free header from a couple of yards out. He heads it down but Henderson saves well to scramble it behind for another corner.

05:41 PM BST

11 mins: Crystal Palace 0 Manchester United 0

Garnacho has had a couple of early chances to get at his man but has turned back and recycled possession. The winger has the first chance of the game moments later though as Zirkzee does well to slip him in on goal with a smart through ball.

Garnacho works the ball onto his left foot and looks to fire across Henderson who gets down well to save low to his left. Good effort, good stop.

05:37 PM BST

8 mins: Crystal Palace 0 Manchester United 0

Palace look for Mateta over the top once again but it’s too strong and runs through to Onana. It appears they will be looking for that ball on a fair few occasions this evening based on these early exchanges.

It’s been a fairly even start to proceedings but United do begin to establish a degree of control with a spell of unthreatening possession.

05:33 PM BST

4 mins: Crystal Palace 0 Manchester United 0

Mateta has his first chance to run in behind but he clips the heels of De Ligt as he gets going and gives away the foul. It would have been interesting to see the pair in a foot-race early on.

Richards concedes a slightly cheap corner down United’s right. It’s Eriksen who delivers it to De Ligt at the back post but he can’t get enough purchase on his header to trouble Henderson.

05:30 PM BST

1 min: Crystal Palace 0 Manchester United 0

Crystal Palace get us underway this evening kicking from left to right in the late evening sunshine in south-London.

05:27 PM BST

Players on their way out

The players are making their way out of the tunnel to a bouncing Selhurst Park. Kick-off is just moments away now.

05:22 PM BST

Kick-off on its way

Kick-off at Selhurst Park is now less than ten minutes away. Can Palace get their first win of the season or will United make it three wins on the spin in all competitions?

05:19 PM BST

‘We know they will give us space’, says Glasner on United

Discussing the search for Palace’s first league win of the season, Glasner has told Sky Sports: “In all four games we have been 1-0 down and it is a different game. It will be great today to take the lead, but we expect a very good Manchester United team.

“We have respect, but we know they will give us space to create chances.”

On their exciting front three of Nketiah, Eze and Mateta, the Austrian said: ”First of all they have scored and assisted each other. Now it’s two games playing together - they need to be playing together.

“They did really well. We also have great substitutions with Ismaila Sarr, he had a good impact in the game [against QPR midweek] - we have good options from the bench.”

05:14 PM BST

Eriksen in from the start again

Eriksen scored twice and set up another in United’s 7-0 triumph in the week and he is in from the start again today.

While new signing Ugarte settles in, it appears Eriksen is now favoured over Casemiro alongside Mainoo after the the veteran’s calamitous first half against Liverpool.

The Brazilian will perhaps be thankful to be left out tonight after his a similarly disastrous performance at Selhurst Park in May.

05:07 PM BST

Rashford being dropped is a case of rotation, says Ten Hag

Discussing his decision to bench Marcus Rashford this evening, Ten Hag told Sky Sports: “No, it is not a difficult decision. We have to rotate, we have so many games to cover and we have to give Alejandro [Garnacho] games.

“We have seen he has a lot of end product, he has scored so many goals and assists.

“He has only started one time this season.”

05:04 PM BST

Olise’s absence apparent

The catalyst to Palace’s 4-0 win over United in May was without doubt Michael Olise who opened and finished the scoring.

The Frenchman is now plying his trade in the Bundesliga though, and his two goals and two assists for Bayern Munich this afternoon made further evident the quality that Palace are now missing.

Olise’s absence has been apparent in Palace’s two draws and two defeats so far in the league this season.

04:59 PM BST

Signs of improvement at Old Trafford

After falling to successive defeats in the Premier League against Brighton and Liverpool, United have now won their last two matches in all competitions, scoring ten goals and registering two clean sheets in the process.

A 3-0 win over Southampton in the league, before a 7-0 trashing of Barnsley in the EFL Cup has seen the mood lift among the United faithful.

However, you feel tonight will prove a sterner test for Ten Hag’s side.

04:51 PM BST

‘Totally different this time’, says Ten Hag after May thumping

On facing Palace at Selhurst Park after losing 4-0 there in May, Ten Hag said: “We know it is always tough there, always aggressive but we also know the circumstances - you can’t compare this.

“We didn’t have a fit squad - we had one or two players up to 20% and this time it is totally different.”

04:47 PM BST

Mount and Hojlund return to squad

Mason Mount and Rasmus Jojlund return to the United bench after spells on the sideline through injury.

04:42 PM BST

Glasner ‘convinced’ chances will come

After inflicting a 4-0 defeat over United in May, Glasner is confident his side can hurt their opponents this evening.

He said: “I’m convinced we will find our spaces where we can score goals. That’s what we did well in the last game [against United]. I’m convinced we will get our chances but we need to score goals.”

Discussing new signing Eddie Nketiah who scored his first goal in midweek, the Austrian said: “We did our homework before signing Eddie.

“He can play several positions because he is very smart. He’s not your typical nine. He’s a technical player finding space in the pocket and he’s a great finisher.

“There were some misunderstanding between him and JP [Mateta] but it will take time.”

04:38 PM BST

Rashford on bench after ending goal drought

Marcus Rashford has scored three goals in his last two games in all competitions after failing to find the back of net since March

The winger ended his drought against Southampton last weekend before bagging a brace against Barnsley in the EFL Cup on Tuesday.

Ten Hag had said it is “very good” that Rashford is scoring goals “when the season is very young” as strikers “need that belief”.

Despite this, the England international has been dropped to the bench for tonight’s clash with Crystal Palace.

04:34 PM BST

Selhurst Park an unhappy hunting ground for United

Palace’s 4-0 triumph at Selhurst Park in May was their biggest margin of victory against United since 1972.

Having failed to win any of their first 20 Premier League games against tonight’s opponents, they have now won five of their past 10.

Ten Hag’s side are without a win in any of their past four league visits to the south-London side.

04:29 PM BST

Those teams in full

Crystal Palace: Henderson, Rihcards, Guehi, Lacroix, Munoz, Wharton, Kamada, Mitchell, Nketiah, Eze, Mateta.

Subs: Hughes, Lerma, Clyne, Sarr, Schlupp, Turner, Umeh, Ward, Agbinone.

Manchester United: Onana, Mazraoui, De Ligt, Martinez, Dalot, Eriksen, Mainoo, Diallo, Fernandes, Garancho, Zirkzee.

Subs: Bayinder, Casemiro, Hojlund, Evans, Rashford, Maguire, Ugarte, Mount, Antony.

04:21 PM BST

Rashford drops to the bench

Marcus Rashford has been dropped to the bench in place of Alejandro Garnacho in the only change Erik ten Hag makes to the starting eleven that beat Southampton 3-0 away from home last weekend.

04:20 PM BST

Two changes for Palace

Oliver Glasner makes two changes to his Palace side that started their last league game against Leicester. Daichi Kamada and Chris Richards come in for the injured Cheick Doucoure and Nathaniel Clyne.

04:15 PM BST

Preview: Palace looking for first Premier League win against improving United side

Good afternoon and welcome to live coverage of Crystal Palace vs Manchester United from the Premier League.

Both sides are coming off the back of midweek victories in the EFL Cup with United thrashing Barnsley of League One 7-0 while Palace beat Queens Park Rangers 2-1 at Loftus Road. However, Oliver Glasner’s men are yet to pick up three points in the league and they will be desperate to put that right this evening against a United side they did the double over last season and put four past when they met at Selhurst Park in May.

That meeting was widely thought of at the time as the final straw in Erik ten Hag’s tenure at Old Trafford but the Dutchman remains in the United dugout. Despite another concerning start to the campaign that left United in tenth heading into this weekend, ten goals and two clean sheets in their last two matches in all competitions suggest signs of improvement.

With a 3-0 victory away to Southampton last time out in the league, Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho have both bagged three goals in their two most recent competitive fixtures, with the Englishman ending a goal drought that dated back to March.

As for Palace, it was Michael Olise who opened and finished the scoring in their emphatic victory over tonight’s opponents in May. But with the Frenchman having departed to Bayern Munich, their remarkable end-of-season form, which he was so crucial to, has failed to continue into the new campaign.

Heading into matchday five, Glasner’s men were one of six sides yet to register a win, leaving them in 16th, and they needed a 92nd-minute penalty from Jean-Philippe Mateta against Leicester to avoid a third defeat in their opening four games. They will be hoping their midweek cup victory thanks to goals from Eddie Nketiah and Eberechi Eze can kick their season into life.