Manchester United picked up their first Premier League win since January 14 with a tense 2-1 victory at home to Crystal Palace.
Star midfielder Casemiro will miss the next three matches through suspension after picking up a silly red card in the second half, though the Red Devils were just about able to hold on to claim the three points on Saturday.
With only four minutes on the clock, VAR took a lengthy look for a possible handball against Will Hughes, and referee Andre Marriner pointed to the spot after being sent to the monitor. Bruno Fernandes stepped up and made no mistake to give United an early lead, ending a run of three penalties without scoring.
A looping header from Wout Weghorst was tipped away by Vicente Guaita as the hosts’ early domination continued.
United won the ball high up the pitch from a Palace goal kick and Fernandes managed to slip Marcus Rashford through in the right channel, but his shot was palmed away.
From the resulting corner, Antony cut onto his left foot and was next to take aim at Guaita, but again the Spaniard was largely untroubled.
Fred came close to doubling the lead when he met a cutback through the box from Weghorst, only for the Brazilian to poke the shot just wide of the near post.
David de Gea was called into action for the first time towards the end of the first half when Jeffrey Schlupp let fly from distance, getting down low to push the Ghanaian’s strike away from danger.
After the break, Odsonne Edouard looked to make a dart towards goal after freeing himself down the left, only for Lisandro Martinez to come over to meet him and dispossess him just in time.
Palace looked the more threatening early in the second half but Martinez was largely on hand to sweep up, while the unusually quiet Marcus Rashford fired over from just inside the box after being well spotted by Fernandes.
After being shifted up front, Rashford rediscovered his shooting boots and added United’s second, tapping in from a driven Luke Shaw cross.
However, United’s mood was dampened with 20 minutes remaining as VAR spotted Casemiro grabbing Hughes by the throat with two hands in a melee involving several players, and the Brazilian was sent off.
Palace pulled one back in the final quarter of an hour when Schlupp swept in from a corner with a superb instinctive volley.
Substitute Ebere Eze was denied from close range by a flying block from Martinez as United’s composure continued to run thin.
Erik ten Hag threw on two more centre-backs in Harry Maguire and…
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