Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial hit the net as Man United maintain pressure
Manchester United maintained their challenge for a top-four finish thanks to goals from Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial and, in the eyes of Crystal Palace at least, the benefit of two contentious decisions by VAR.
There was no doubting the quality of United’s two goals with Rashford’s effort in first half added time and Martial’s 79th minute second demonstrating why Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side have now gone 19 games unbeaten and are level on points with fourth-placed Leicester with two games remaining.
Debate, though, centred on the decision of Simon Hooper, the VAR, to dismiss Palace’s claim for a first-half penalty when Wilf Zaha went to ground under a challenge from Victor Lindelof immediately before Rashford’s opener and then adjudge Jordan Ayew was offside by the tightest of margins when he thought he had equalised for the home side in the 55th minute.
Those moments, however, will quickly be forgotten in the coming days as Solskjaer’s side seek the two wins that will guarantee a place in next season’s Champions League.
UNited were boosted by the inclusion of Mason Greenwood who was passed fit after overcoming an ankle problem picked up in Monday’s frustrating 2-2 draw with Southampton when Solskjaer’s side were denied a fifth successive victory by Michael Obafemi’s added time equaliser.
More surprising, though, was the inclusion of Timothy Fosu-Mensah, 22, at left-back for the Dutch defender’s first United appearance in 1152 days, a period stretching back to May 2017. Injuries to Brandon Williams and Luke Shaw opened the door for Fosu-Mensah to step up.
Solskjaer was left frustrated at the way his side had conceded late on against Southampton and missed out on the chance to break into the top four and the United backline was again guilty of a loss of concentration in the opening minute at Selhurst Park. Wilf Zaha moved inside Aaron Wan-Bissaka, his former team-mate, and provided an early test for David De Gea with a powerful shot that the United goalkeeper did well to push away.
Despite having lost their previous five league games, Palace started confidently, dominating possession in the opening moments before United slowly started to assert themselves, pushing the home side onto the back foot to win two early corners. Both were delivered into the box by Bruno Fernandes towards the head of Harry Maguire who should have done better than direct his second effort over the bar from close range.
Leicester’s victory over Sheffield United earlier in the day had reinforced the sense that this was a game in which United could not afford to slip up. It was Palace, though, who continued to look the more convincing side going forward and the home side once again worked an opening down their left hand flank, on this occasions when James McArthur found space to deliver a cross that was met by Zaha, with the winger unable to direct his effort on target.
Yet while United had yet to establish their usual fluency going forward, they continued to threaten and should have taken the lead on the half-hour after Anthony Martial had done well to work his way to the byline on the left. The France forward pulled the ball back towards the penalty spot were Greenwood was lurking but for once the teenager scuffed his first-time shot, dragging his effort wide.
Roy Hodgson’s side may have little to play for during the remaining games of the campaign but there was no sense they were holding back. Another strong run by Zaha late in the half opened up the United defence and as the winger advanced into the area, he went to ground under a challenge by Victor Lindelof, prompting strong appeals for a penalty that were waved away by referee Graham Scott. VAR reviewed the incident and decided the United defender made contact with the ball before the player.
Then two minutes later, Palace’s frustrations deepened. A slick exchange of passes between Fernandes and Martial, created space for the Portuguese to pick out Rashford inside the home area and a sharp change of direction allowed the striker to beat Patrick van Aanholt before finishing calmly.
That double disappointment had little effect on the home side who again pressed after the break, forcing what they thought was the leveller when Ayew turned home from Zaha’s low cross. VAR thought otherwise, spotting Ayew was offside by the narrowest of margins.
United created breathing space in the 79th minute when Martial finished after a smart move involving Rashford and Fernandes.
Guaita 6; Ward 6, Dann 6, Sakho 7, van Aanholt 6 (Mitchell 83); McCarthy 7 (Riedewald 83), Milivojevic 7, McArthur 6 (Schlupp 72); Townsend 6, Ayew 7, Zaha 8.
Hennessey, Meyer, Kouyate, Kelly, Woods, Pierrick.
De Gea 7; Wan-Bissaka 6, Lindelof 7, Maguire 7, Fosu-Mensah 6; Pogba 7, McTominay 6 (Matic 63, 6); Greenwood 6 (Lingard 63, 6), Fernandes 7, Rashford 8; Martial 6.
Romero, Bailly, Mata, Fred, Dalot, James, Ighalo,.
Graham Scott 6
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
