Stunning comebacks & Ten Hag humbled: Four Premier League classics between Man United and Crystal Palace

Manchester United will face Crystal Palace at Old Trafford in the Premier League on Sunday.

The two sides last met at Selhurst Park earlier this season, where United edged a hard-fought 2-1 victory in a fiercely contested encounter.

United are unbeaten under head coach Michael Carrick but Palace have seemingly lost their way leading to growing discontent between manager Oliver Glasner and the Eagles faithful.

Here we look at four of their wildest battles in the English top flight over the years.

Crystal Palace 2-3 Man United, March 2018

The Eagles went 2-0 up by the 48th minute, putting United under huge pressure.

United looked rattled and devoid of ideas until the comeback began.

Chris Smalling sparked hope with a scrappy finish before Romelu Lukaku powered home the equaliser.

Palace came close to scoring their third goal but it was Nemanja Matic who unleashed a sensational dipping half-volley into the top corner to complete the magical comeback.

The away end erupted as United completed one of their most dramatic comebacks of the decade.

Man United 1-2 Crystal Palace, Aug 2019

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s first full season as the United manager suffered an early blow when Palace shocked Old Trafford, registering their first victory at the Theatre of Dreams in the Premier League era.

Jordan Ayew put Palace ahead before Marcus Rashford hit the post from his penalty spot.

Daniel James thought he had rescued a point for United but Patrick van Aanholt netted in the 93rd minute in a classic smash-and-grab encounter.

The result intensified scrutiny on big-money signings Harry Maguire and Aaron Wan-Bissaka, both of whom were still adapting after a combined £130 million summer outlay.

Crystal Palace 4-0 Man United, May 2024

This was a humbling night for United, arguably one of their lowest points in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era.

United were plagued with several injuries, forcing Erik ten Hag to start Casemiro and Jonny Evans at the heart of defence. Injuries to Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia forced Wan-Bissaka to operate in an unfamiliar left-back role.

Michael Olise and Jean-Philippe Mateta put Palace 2-0 up at half-time.

Oliver Glasner and his men showed no mercy after the interval, slicing through United with pace and precision to complete a stunning 4-0 rout.

The defeat severely dented United’s European hopes. Fortunately, the FA Cup triumph later that month salvaged continental qualification and softened the blow of a torrid campaign.

Man United 5-2 Crystal Palace, December 2004

It was a typical old-school Man United performance with clear attacking ideas and freedom to express individual brilliance.

Wayne Rooney endured early frustration when he missed a penalty, but the game quickly turned into a breathless end-to-end spectacle.

Palace refused to roll over and twice pegged United back, leaving the contest hanging in the balance at 2-2 by the break.

Then came the avalanche.

However, United were too good for Palace as they scored three second-half goals.

It was the kind of high-octane performance that defined Ferguson’s era of ruthlessness and entertainment.

Article written by Sanidhya Bhardwaj .