United found themselves trailing after just four minutes when Lacroix outmuscled Leny Yoro to head the ball into the net from a corner. Ismaila Sarr nearly doubled the lead, but his shot went directly at Senne Lammens as Palace controlled the early moments of the match. In fact, United struggled to create any significant chances until the last 10 minutes of the first half, with both Sesko and Casemiro missing headed opportunities, while Dean Henderson managed to tip a free-kick from Fernandes over the crossbar.
The match shifted dramatically 10 minutes into the second half when Lacroix was penalized for dragging Matheus Cunha down in the penalty area. Following a VAR review that confirmed the Palace defender’s red card, Fernandes confidently stepped up to take the penalty and scored. Shortly thereafter, the United captain turned into a playmaker, delivering a brilliant cross that allowed Sesko to head the ball past Henderson, marking his sixth goal in just seven matches.
Cunha and substitute Amad Diallo forced Henderson into several solid saves as Michael Carrick’s team sought a third goal, while Palace occasionally posed a threat despite being a man down. Nevertheless, they were unable to secure an equalizer as United moved ahead of Aston Villa, strengthening their prospects for Champions League qualification.
GOAL evaluates the performance of players from Manchester United during their match against Crystal Palace…
