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Digimagaz.com – In the fifth week of the 2024/2025 Premier League season, Manchester United will visit Selhurst Park to face Crystal Palace on Saturday, September 21, 2024. Scheduled for a 3:00 PM local kickoff (10:00 AM ET), this match provides Manchester United with a golden opportunity to avenge their embarrassing defeat at this same venue last season.

Manchester United’s 4-0 loss to Crystal Palace in May 2024 remains a painful memory. During that match in the 36th week of the 2023/2024 Premier League, goals from Michael Olise (two), Jean-Philippe Mateta, and Tyrick Mitchell left Manchester United with nothing but regret. The loss significantly dented the confidence of Erik ten Hag’s squad, and this upcoming game is their chance for redemption.

The sting of that defeat lingers, and it will undoubtedly fuel Manchester United’s determination as they head back to Selhurst Park. Adding to their motivation, United recently demolished Barnsley 7-0 in the Carabao Cup, a victory that boosted morale ahead of this crucial league encounter.

Manchester United comes into this match on the back of two consecutive victories, having also beaten Southampton 3-0 in the Premier League. However, their league form has been somewhat erratic, with a heavy loss to Liverpool in the previous week still fresh in their minds. In their last five outings across all competitions, United has managed three wins and two losses, underlining their inconsistency.

Crystal Palace, on the other hand, has been solid in recent games. Under Oliver Glasner, the team is unbeaten in their last four matches across all competitions. They’ve secured valuable Premier League draws against Chelsea and Leicester City and claimed victories over Norwich City and Queens Park Rangers in the Carabao Cup. This strong run of form suggests Palace is more than capable of putting up a stiff challenge against Manchester United.

Despite their big win in the Carabao Cup, Manchester United should not take Crystal Palace lightly. Palace has been a difficult opponent for United in recent seasons, having beaten them twice—once with a 4-0 thrashing at Selhurst Park and a narrow 1-0 victory at Old Trafford.

Erik ten Hag must ensure that his squad approaches this game with the right mindset. Overconfidence could prove costly, as Palace has shown a knack for frustrating bigger teams. United will need a near-perfect performance to walk away with three points.

Manchester United is expected to field a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Andre Onana between the posts. The defense will likely feature Noussair Mazraoui, Matthijs de Ligt, Lisandro Martinez, and Diogo Dalot. In midfield, Manuel Ugarte and Kobbie Mainoo are expected to provide balance, while Amad Diallo, Bruno Fernandes, and Marcus Rashford will support striker Joshua Zirkzee.

Crystal Palace is predicted to line up in a 3-4-1-2 formation, with Dean Henderson in goal. The backline will likely consist of Maxence Lacroix, Marc Guehi, and Chris Richards, while Adam Wharton and Cheick Doucoure will provide midfield stability. Eberechi Eze is set to play as the primary playmaker behind forwards Eddie Nketiah and Jean-Philippe Mateta.

Given Crystal Palace’s strong recent form and Manchester United’s struggles at Selhurst Park last season, this match is expected to be closely contested. United has the motivation to avenge their previous defeat, but Palace has proven themselves capable of causing upsets against top teams.

Despite the challenges, Manchester United’s superior attacking firepower and confidence from their recent Carabao Cup win give them the edge in this matchup. The prediction for the final score is a 2-1 victory for Manchester United.

 

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