Manchester United drew 0-0 at Selhurst Park against Crystal Palace on Saturday afternoon, in a match that hardly many people will believe ended goalless, consindering the amount of chances on display. Most of them came via Man United attack who struggled on the day, after scoring 10 in the previous two matches.
Man United’s Surprising Hurricane
This was a match in which Man Untied created five big chances in the first 45 minutes, made nine shots and hit the woodwork twice, although in the span of a few seconds. But rather than the fact United failed the score from this proper hurricane they unleashed on the hosts, what was more surprising was the fact the Devils have put such a strong attacking performance in the first half. That was usually not the case, as they were prone to starting slow and having to catch up. This time the Devils were on the front foot and Erik Ten Hag will be happy with that. Yes, they failed to score, but should United keep putting in performances like the one from the first half, wins will be coming much easier and more often than they did last season.
Onana Shines In Goal
Andre Onana made four saves on the day, two of them in a brilliant double-combo, when Palace were throwing their best at the Cameroonian. And yet, Man United goalkeeper was on top of his game, keeping the Devils in it after Palace started showing more attacking intent. When United failed to get the best out of that first half, Onana’s great saves and precise positioning gave his teammates chances to go after the win. That did not happen in the end, but this Onana’s performance is exactly what he needed to get more support behind his back as those mistakes from early last season now seem so much more distant.
Martinez Lucky To Not See Red
Lisandro Martinez, like Bruno Fernandes, endured a challenging match in South London, displaying an uncharacteristically reckless side to his game. The Argentine defender seemed off balance, making rash decisions that put Manchester United at risk. In the second half, Martinez launched into a dangerous two-footed lunge near Crystal Palace’s penalty area. Although he was fortunate to avoid making contact with Daichi Kamada, the incident could easily have resulted in a straight red card had the challenge connected. This moment of recklessness highlighted his unsteady performance. Martinez’s overly aggressive approach saw him dive into tackles too eagerly, nearly allowing Eberechi Eze to capitalise on his mistake. Fortunately for United, Eze’s effort drifted just wide, sparing Martinez from further scrutiny.
Henderson Stops His Former Club
While we praised Onana, even greater praise should be given to Dean Henderson. Former Man United goalkeeper was the man of the match with seven saves, ultimately being the only real reason why the visitors did not have the lead at half-time. Henderson was saving shots left and right, stopping Alejandro Garnacho’s great attempts, blocking Matthijs de Ligt’s close range header and keeping Palace alive when they were being battered.
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