Premier League preview: Manchester United gunning for revenge at Crystal Palace
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| Photo: @ManUtd |
Palace triumphed 1-0 at Old Trafford during the early part of the campaign and followed up with a thumping 4-0 home victory in May.
However, the Eagles have made a sticky start to the 2024/25 Premier League season, picking up just two points from their first four games.
With that in mind, savvy punters will likely make United the cornerstone of a Comedy Bet this weekend given they are priced at odds of 29/20 to win their third game of the season.
Erik ten Hag's were underwhelming in their first three fixtures this term, but looked much improved in their 3-0 victory at Southampton on Saturday.
Victory on the south coast meant the Red Devils avoided a run of three straight Premier League defeats for the first time since 2015.
Andre Onana's first half penalty save proved to be a turning point, with goals by Matthijs de Ligt and Marcus Rashford putting United 2-0 ahead at the break.
Alejandro Garnacho added a third to complete a productive trip to St Mary's and Ten Hag will be keen to see his team produce a similar performance at Palace.
The Dutchman claimed after the game that there is still room for improvement in the team's performances and it is impossible to argue with his viewpoint.
However, the result will hopefully give United a solid platform to build from as they strive to force their way into the upper echelons of the Premier League.
While United have aspirations of climbing into contention for a top four finish, Palace's short-term aim is to fire themselves clear of the relegation zone.
Having finished last season with a flourish, the Eagles were tipped as potential dark-horses for European qualification this season.
Goals have been at a premium for the Eagles with just four scored, but they have plenty of players who could cause problems for United's defence.
Jean-Phillipe Mateta bagged a brace against Leicester City last weekend, while former Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah looked promising on his debut for the club.
Midfielder Adam Wharton is another player United will need to watch closely given his penchant for unlocking defences with his pinpoint passing.
While Palace will be eager to get a win on the board this weekend, United's performance at Southampton indicated they may have turned a corner.
De Ligt and Lisandro Martinez showed signs of forging a useful partnership at the back, while Rashford seemed to grow in confidence after scoring.
New signing Manuel Ugarte looked assured after replacing Christian Eriksen in midfield and it will be intriguing to see if he starts at Selhurst Park.
Ugarte performed well for Uruguay during the recent break for international fixtures and looks nailed on to become a regular starter for the Red Devils.
With the spine of the team starting to look stronger, United may finally have the tools in place to put their inconsistencies behind them.
A victory at Palace would set them up for a run of fixtures which have the potential to be tricky, but are also relatively winnable.
United host Tottenham Hotspur and Brentford either side of a trip to Aston Villa and will fancy their chances of picking up at least seven points from those three games.
Games against West Ham United (A), Chelsea (H), Leicester (H), Ipswich Town (A) and Everton (H) should also result in United garnering a healthy points tally.
The Red Devils could easily put their stuttering start to the season firmly behind them by firing themselves into the top four over the next few weeks.
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