September 26 2023

Johnstone is unable to prevent Palace from conceeding

Crystal Palace crash out of the EFL Cup third round after a 3-0 defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford.

In an all-Premier League showdown, The Eagles found themselves on the wrong side of a 3-0 scoreline as they were defeated by reigning Carabao Cup champions Manchester United.

Palace faced a formidable United squad that boasted a blend of experience and emerging talent, ultimately succumbing to the Red Devils' superior performance.

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag made several changes to his starting lineup, with summer signings Mason Mount and Sofyan Amrabat getting their chance to shine. The Eagles, too, made extensive changes to their starting XI, resting some of the squad for the repeat fixture on Saturday in the Premier League.

The match commenced with United's dominance apparent from the outset. Full debutant Sofyan Amrabat, deployed as a makeshift left-back, tucked inside to create a numerical advantage in midfield, leaving Palace struggling to gain a foothold in the game.

United broke the deadlock in the 21st minute when Mason Mount's precision pass found Facundo Pellistri, whose clever lay-off allowed Diogo Dalot to deliver a pinpoint cross to Alejandro Garnacho. Garnacho made no mistake, firing a low finish past Palace's defense, with Dean Henderson in goal.

Palace's woes continued when Henderson, making his debut against his former club, was forced off due to injury. The Eagles had to call upon Sam Johnstone to take his place.

Casemiro, the Brazilian midfielder, was instrumental for United throughout the match. He powered a header into the far corner from Mason Mount's corner delivery, doubling the hosts' lead six minutes after the opener.

Mount, making his first appearance since August due to injury, showcased promise but was substituted at half-time as a precaution. However, United maintained their dominance into the second half.

Casemiro continued to shine, turning provider this time. His sublime cross found Anthony Martial, who displayed clinical finishing from an acute angle, securing United's third goal.

It wasn't until the 67th minute that Palace managed their first shot on goal, as Nathaniel Clyne's attempt flew over the bar. Despite late attempts from Eberechi Eze and Jean-Philippe Mateta, who were both thwarted by United's alert goalkeeper, Andre Onana, Palace couldn't find a breakthrough.

United could have further extended their lead, with substitute Jonny Evans forcing a reflex save from Johnstone and Victor Lindelof and Garnacho also testing the Palace goalkeeper late in the game.

In the end, Manchester United's three-goal performance proved insurmountable for Palace.

Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson acknowledged the difficulty of the encounter, describing it as a "footballing lesson."

He expressed disappointment with his team's performance, especially in the first half, and stressed the need for improvement ahead of their Premier League clash against Manchester United on Saturday.

Hodgson was wary that their upcoming match would be equally challenging, as he expected a stronger United side than they faced in the EFL Cup encounter.

Palace: Henderson (Johnstone, 19), Clyne, Holding, Richards, Mitchell, Doucouré (Hughes, 60), Riedewald (Ozoh, 80), Rak-Sakyi (Guéhi, 45), Schlupp (Eze, 60), Ayew, Mateta

Manchester United: Onana, Dalot, Varane (Evans, 61), Maguire, S Amrabat (Gore, 61), Casemiro, Mount (Lindelöf, 45), Pellistri, Mejbri (van de Beek, 71), Garnacho, Martial (Højlund, 75)

2023/24 match reports

2023/24 squad stats

Premier League table

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