EPL 2016/17: Crystal Palace 1-2 Manchester United: 5 takeaways from the game
Manchester United sneaked a 2-1 away victory against Crystal Palace in a high-octane game at Selhurst Park.
Paul Pogba opened the scoreboard with a tap-in for United with a very controversial goal, right before the half time whistle. James McArthur leveled it for the London Side in the second half after a wonderful piece of touch from Damien Delaney found him one-on-one with David de Gea. The visitors, however, managed to seal the game from a well-placed goal by Zlatan Ibrahimovic right at the end of regulation time.
For a game packed with energy, there were several controversial decisions adding on to the already tense atmosphere. Here are the talking points for the game.
#1 United still haven’t addressed their defensive issues
United of this season has not lost points due to shabby play, but rather their defensive misgivings. Although they managed to grab three points, it was yet another example of giving away their lead despite a very strong midfield and attacking presence. This is unlike Mourinho's previous tenures where he was famous for holding on to one goal leads. A possible reason for the same can be attributed to a lack of focus after scoring a goal, leading to bad positioning in the defensive line.
A very similar set of mistake cost United 2 points each at West Ham and Arsenal despite putting their best performances on the pitch- a momentary lapse in focus. Marcos Rojo has yet to correct on his tackling issues, earning a yellow card yet again this game. Bailly’s injury only add to the woes.