Manchester United impressively came from behind to beat Crystal Palace 2-1 and pick up their first win in three matches on Sunday.
In a tricky first half, United went behind when Jean Phillippe-Mateta converted a penalty after being brought down clumsily by Leny Yoro.
Thanks to two smart assists from Bruno Fernandes, United struck back through set-piece goals from Joshua Zirkzee and Mason Mount.
In this article, we’ll cover:
Manchester United’s underrated set-piece threat
Though it was difficult for United to create much from open play, there is not enough noise made about the Red Devils’ set-piece threat.
With goals from Zirkzee and Mount, United have now scored the joint-most from set-pieces in the league.
Thanks to some quick thinking from Fernandes, United got back in the game after Zirkzee found space in the box away from the cluster of defenders, and then went ahead after Fernandes’ cute lay off to Mount.
The tactical trend of the league has seen a reliance on more set-pieces and long balls. Though Ruben Amorim has been criticised for his stubborn approach in terms of sticking to 3-4-3, he has made changes to the tactics, and United have been rewarded.
Teams still know how to set up against United when the Red Devils have possession, but they have become more dangerous from set-pieces as the season has gone on, making them more unpredictable.
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United’s second-half press
In the first half, it looked as though Crystal Palace were outrunning United, and Mateta was dragging their centre-backs around as the Eagles constantly went long.
The change in the second half came when Amorim’s press became more aggressive, with the full-backs pushed up high.
Taking a look at Diogo Dalot and Amad Diallo’s positioning, whenever the ball would go wide to either Daniel Munoz or Tyrick Mitchell, the United wing-backs would push up and press them, not allowing them to progress the ball wide.
Though pushing the wing-backs up in the press is brave, it limited Palace’s progression and also swung the momentum in United’s favour.
The key thing for United is the fact that they stayed in the game. Even during the first half, when the game felt extremely messy, and the long balls to Joshua Zirkzee weren’t working, they didn’t allow the game to get away from them, and Mateta missed a big chance.
Though there wasn’t too much of a difference in the way United built up and tried to create chances, the intensity levels increased, and that was enough to beat Palace.
Palace’s second-half tiredness
Palace looked and felt like a completely different, more exhausted team in the second half, with the momentum of the match completely shifting.
After travelling to Strasbourg on Thursday in the Uefa Conference League, Glasner’s men looked fatigued from the quick turnaround. United subsequently found more space in Palace’s half as the game wore on.
Where the Eagles outshot United 9-6 in the first half, it was the Red Devils who dominated after the break, 8-5 on shots.
Palace have picked up just five points after Conference League duties so far this season. It’s indicative of a team getting used to playing in Europe alongside the relentless Premier League schedule that gets very busy during this crucial winter period.
Excellent Luke Shaw
Luke Shaw only played seven Premier League games last season.
The English full-back has had a torrid time with injuries, and after a brilliant 22/23 campaign, he’s since been in and out of the team as he’s struggled to come off the treatment table.
But his versatility and agility shone through here, particularly when Mateta was troubling United’s back three.
Shaw completed three clearances, won two aerial duels and won the ball twice in the middle third, while he also made three timely interceptions and three clearances.
Amorim’s system of playing with a back three needs centre-backs to be aggressive and push out from the defensive line, or follow strikers that drop deep.
Shaw, in the absence of Lisandro Martinez — who finally made his first appearance since last season from the bench at the end — is making the role of the left-sided centre-back his own.
Against Everton, the intensity levels were low as United laboured and toiled against 10 men, struggling to create.
After no wins in three matches, to come from behind against Palace and raise the intensity levels against one of the toughest teams in the league is a huge jolt in the arm for Ruben Amorim.