The Stretford End started a new chant: "He’ll bring the glory days again, we’ll back him from the Stretford End, he’ll turn the Reds around, Ruben Amorim." Not with this lot.

Manchester United are still afflicted with stage fright at Old Trafford, where Crystal Palace have won two seasons running. It is now a staggering seven home defeats in the Premier League for United in 2024-25 and five defeats in their past six at Old Trafford. This lot can't win successive league games.

"You're going down with Southampton," crowed the Cockneys in the away end. There was an impromptu rendition of, "Marcus Rashford, he left 'cause you're s**t." Only Wolves have lost more home league games than United since the start of last term.

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This was the standard United defeat: no goals and conceding a goal from a set piece. Amorim's assistant, Carlos Fernandes, continues to occupy the technical area whenever there is a dead-ball kick. He must be tempted to charge into the penalty area and take ownership himself.

In the 73rd minute, the Stretford End implored Bruno Fernandes to shoot. He hesitated and passed the ball outside the area. When he did hit it, the Stretford Enders shielded for cover. United have not scored in nine league matches this season.

Ayden Heaven and Patrick Dorgu, the first signings of the Amorim era, made a low-key introduction 20 minutes before kick-off to continue United's trend of pre-match unveilings. United have a new centre back and full back when the urgent need is for a goalscorer.

Rashford will be the third forward to have left United this month and not one has come in yet. That is an unconscionable failing and the blame lies at the feet of the technical director, Jason Wilcox, and chief executive Omar Berrada.

Last week, there was one attempt on target. This week, two. The United attack is so depleted Amorim is working with four forwards and the two £108.5million strikers were not even in the starting line-up against Palace.

United are still mulling over moves for Mathys Tel of Bayern Munich or the Chelsea forward Christopher Nkunku. Nkunku, 27, would be a suitable profile yet would require dialogue with Chelsea, who may test the waters with Alejandro Garnacho before Monday's 11pm deadline.

Tel, 19, has not scored in 14 appearances for Bayern. United have become Bayern's patsies, taking their Dutch dead wood in the summer and crocked midfielders in the past. Marcel Sabitzer was a deadline day move that worked out reasonably two years ago, at least.

Heaven and Dorgu's arrivals are well-timed. Lisandro Martinez signalled to the bench immediately after his tangle with Ismaïla Sarr and he was carried off in tears. Martinez suffered a serious knee injury after an innocuous duel against West Ham last February. Almost a year to the day and at the same end, he clutched his left knee again.

Amorim patently does not believe in Rasmus Hojlund, who has failed to score in 25 matches out of 30, or Joshua Zirkzee, a scorer in three games out of 35. Amorim was still reduced to sending both on in the 70th minute. Zirkzee's first action was to kick the ball out for a throw-in. Harry Maguire went up front at the death.

With both strikers finally omitted from the starting XI, Amorim threw a curveball with his makeshift striker. Almost everyone expected it to be Amad or Fernandes. Instead, it was Kobbie Mainoo.

Inside seven minutes, Mainoo had crossed for Garnacho's blocked goalbound shot and struck the post. Unlike Amad and Fernandes, Mainoo had no experience of doubling as a false nine and this was a second positional change in a week after his influential stint as a No.10 in Bucharest.

The first 15 minutes was United's best start to a match under Amorim yet, for the 18th time in 24 league games, they failed to score in the first half. Their attacking lull was so prolonged the Stretford End belted out their new ode to Amorim and the best chance fell to Palace.

Andre Onana's denial of Jean-Philippe Mateta was so fine the referee gave a goal kick. Onana still celebrated wildly. It was Mateta celebrating in the second half.

United's backline are prone to overcelebrating saves, blocks and clearances when they ought to hold each other to account. Onana's positioning was awry for Maxence Lacroix's header that bounced off the crossbar and knocked in on the rebound by Mateta.

The Frenchman's second in the 89th minute sparked another mass exodus. The uncomfortable reality is Palace comfortably have a better striker than United.

During United's most dominant spell, Garnacho and Amad clipped crosses in and the nearest to the ball were Noussair Mazraoui and Leny Yoro, a full back and a centre back. Garnacho glanced at the heavens, wondering where that striker is. He is not on the bench. Fernandes slumped his shoulders after his own centre bounced out for a goal kick.

Jorge Vital, the most famous goalkeeping coach, was on the bench and the broadcasters homed in on the 63-year-old with Rashford now bound for Birmingham. Hojlund and Zirkzee warmed up in separate groups in the first half. As everyone is aware, the answer to United's goalscoring conundrum does not lie within.

Zirkzee and Hojlund were instructed to warm up again less than two minutes into the second half. Hojlund was sprinting on the touchline and seemed reluctant when told to take his seat back on the bench on the hour. When he eventually crossed the white line, Palace were ahead.

Hojlund and Zirkzee are not renowned game-changers and the game didn't change. "Why the f**k are you still here?" Palace fans asked in the eighth minute of added time. First team coach Darren Fletcher immediately left his seat.

The turnaround is a long way off.