Manchester United FC have lost their first game of the 2020-21 Premier League season from Crystal Palace, with a scoreline of 3-1. The Red Devils looked sluggish and rusty from the onset as Crystal Palace looked confident and took the game to United. By losing the first game of the season, United will need to give a good look at themselves in order to perform better next time around.
United had set up with an unusual starting XI, which was s surprise to most of the club faithful. The right side of United was visibly weak with Fosu-Mensah, Lindelof, McTominay and Dan James. And the Crystal Palace players targeted that side from, the beginning with the likes of their captain and talisman, Wilfried Zaha.
Crystal Palace scored early in the game, with the assist coming from United’s right side with Lindelof at fault for not clearing the ball out of play. Andros Townsend scored the opening goal for the Eagles as they defended deep after scoring. The first half of the half was very monotonous then, as United kept the ball well but failed to create clear cut chances.
The second half started with greater urgency from United, as Solskjaer brought on Mason Greenwood for Dan James. But United did little going forward, as Pogba, McTominay and Bruno Fernandes looked rusty due to lack of game-time. Pogba especially looked very rusty, as he gave away the ball several times in the midfield, which gave Palace a chance to counter.
The second goal from Palace came from an unfortunate handball in the box from Victor Lindelof, who was at fault for all of Palace’s goals. David De Gea saved the resulting penalty from Ayew, but it was retaken as the goalkeeper that left the goal-line before the shot was taken. The penalty was retaken, and Palace scored this time, with Zaha taking the penalty.
New summer signing Donny Van de Beek made his debut as he came in for Pogba, and scored 13 minutes into his debut, giving United a lifeline. But the Eagles scored again through Zaha, with the help of some calamitous defending from Lindelof. United and Solskjaer will be furious to such a loss at the hands of Crystal Palace and will their best to come back in their next game.
