Football News

    Internet reacts as Crystal Palace destroy miserable Man Utd

    By CJ Smith

    Jean-Philippe Mateta continues remarkable scoring streak as Crystal Palace beat sorry Man Utd

    Published: 22:07, 6 May 2024

    Jean-Philippe Mateta and Michael Olise were once again the toasts of Selhurst Park as Crystal Palace thrashed Manchester United 4-0 on Monday evening. 

    On a night when United desperately needed a victory to assert their dominance in the race for European football, it was the Eagles showing all the urgency and ingenuity, taking the lead after just 12 minutes through Michael Olise. The Frenchman was picked out from a throw-in and allowed to drive right through the heart of the Man Utd midfield, shrugging off Christian Eriksen and dancing past Casemiro before firing beyond Andre Onana.

    It was Olise carrying all the threat in the opening segment of the game, attempting four shots in the first 25 minutes compared to just one from every other player on the pitch combined.

    However, it didn’t take long for Olise’s teammates to join the fun and, predictably, it was his compatriot Mateta who doubled Palace’s lead on 39 minutes. The resurgent striker received a precision pass from American defender Chris Richards and had the freedom of Selhurst Park to run at the United defence, passing by Jonny Evans in almost embarrassingly easy fashion before unleashing a rocket beyond Onana at the near post.

    Amazingly, that is Mateta’s eighth goal in just six home appearances under new Palace boss Oliver Glasner, scoring in every single one of those matches so far.

    You’d be forgiven for expecting a response from Man Utd, especially given how early their players returned from the half-time break after a possible dressing down from Erik ten Hag. But things somehow got worse.

    There were a couple of attacking flurries from the Red Devils, who did put the ball in the net through Casemiro in the 52nd minute but saw the effort ruled out for offside. That was the sum total of their comeback attempt, though, with a Tyrick Mitchell rebound making it 3-0 in the 58th minute. Another seven minutes later, Olise made it 4-0 with another shot from distance — which beat Onana far too easily — after Daniel Munoz dispossessed the respondent Casemiro on his own byline.

    On Casemiro’s attempt to defend Palace’s first goal, Ashley Young said on Sky Sports’ MNF: “I don’t know what he’s thinking. Olise literally walks past him. It’s so easy.”

    Jamie Carragher added: “This has got nothing to do with playing out of position. That is embarrassing. They need to bring him off. Nothing can be worse than Casemiro playing centre-back in the second half.”

    Of course, the Brazilian wasn’t brought off. In fact, after already finding himself at fault for two goals, he was almost embarrassed again in second-half stoppage time as Odsonne Edouard caught him in possession, only to hit the near post with Onana rooted to the spot.

    Crystal Palace undoubtedly deserve massive credit for a memorable win and resounding scoreline. After all, this is the first time they’ve scored 3+ goals against Man Utd in a Premier League home game in the competition’s history.

    But what about United themselves? Just how bad was this performance in South London?

    Six standout stats from Man Utd’s 4-0 drubbing at Selhurst Park

    1. It took 50 minutes and 14 seconds for Man Utd to register a shot on target against Crystal Palace on Monday.
    2. Man Utd are yet to keep a clean sheet away from home in the Premier League in 2024.
    3. The Red Devils now have an away goal difference of -6.
    4. Casemiro was dribbled past four times in the first half against Crystal Palace, twice as many times as Virgil van Dijk has been dribbled past in 2998 minutes of Premier League football this season (2). That total rose to eight by full-time, which is the most challenges lost by a player in a single Premier League game so far this season.
    5. Manchester United have conceded 81 goals in all competitions this season, their most in a single campaign since 1976-77 (also 81).
    6. Manchester United have set a club record for the most defeats (13) in a single Premier League season.

    Naturally, the internet didn’t hold back when reacting to Man Utd’s Monday night disasterclass…

    Monday’s defeat keeps Man Utd eighth in the table, two points adrift of the Europa Conference League spot and six behind Tottenham in the Europa League place. It also means they’re relying on slip-ups if they’re to move back ahead of Chelsea, who have spent most of this season in the bottom half of the Premier League table. As for Palace, they’re 14th and unbeaten in five.

    Up next for United is Arsenal at home on Sunday, with the Eagles travelling to Wolves a day earlier.

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