MOUNT, ZIRKZEE GOALS LIFT MAN UTD TO SIXTH, END CRYSTAL PALACE HOME RUN
Ruben Amorim's Man Utd secured a crucial 2-1 comeback win at Crystal Palace, thanks to Zirkzee and Mount. The win ends a five-year drought at Selhurst Park.
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Ruben Amorim must have been relieved. Somehow, Manchester United managed to beat Crystal Palace at their home for the first time in the Premier League since February. It also ended United's five-year wait for a win at this stadium, especially after a first half where Palace should have been way ahead.
Oliver Glasner’s team was strong and deserved to lead because of Jean-Philippe Mateta’s penalty. Still, they couldn't take advantage of their dominance. United, who hadn't scored against Palace in their previous four league games, suddenly scored twice in nine minutes through Joshua Zirkzee and Mason Mount to win the game.
It was a bad day for Glasner, who had a tough week and had been mentioned as a possible candidate for United in the past. Plus, Ismaïla Sarr had to leave the game with an injury before halftime. Amorim, on the other hand, probably kept his cool as he went to the locker room after the game. But he must have been happy inside after United's better play, which moved them above Palace to sixth place.
Amorim didn't want to compare his tactics with Glasner’s before the game, but he did say that Palace was doing things better than us. After their loss to 10-man Everton, he changed both wing-backs. Amad Diallo moved to the right, and Diogo Dalot replaced Patrick Dorgu because the Danish player admitted he feels anxious when wearing a United jersey.
After playing against Strasbourg in the Conference League, Glasner asked Palace’s players to keep going, even though it's getting close to the end of November. Even though they could have won if they had taken their chances, he'll be worried about how much their performance dropped after they fell behind.
United must have seen a chance to win, since they had three more days to get ready. They almost scored after just 43 seconds when a long throw caused trouble in Palace's area, but Dean Henderson, the former United goalie, made a great save to stop Casemiro.
That close call woke up Palace after the early start time for TV. Soon, they had many chances. After missing a lot of opportunities, Mateta missed two shots in the first 15 minutes. Adam Wharton also shot straight at Senne Lammens after a corner before setting up a great move that ended with a bad shot from Daichi Kamada.
But after contract talks stalled, Mateta scored. Another good pass from Wharton caused Leny Yoro to foul Mateta in the box. Mateta scored the penalty, but it was called back by VAR for touching the ball twice. A change in the rules now allows a re-take if the initial penalty is good, and Mateta scored again.
With Zirkzee isolated in attack, United couldn't respond and should have been further behind at halftime. Luke Shaw blocked a shot from Pino, and Eddie Nketiah hesitated when he had a clear chance on goal, and the chance was gone.
Henderson wore a baseball cap to shield his eyes from the sun, but he probably wasn't happy to let United tie the game eight minutes into the second half. Palace was caught off guard by a quick free kick from Bruno Fernandes, and Zirkzee chested the ball down and shot it into the far corner. He and the United fans were surprised.
After a scramble in front of the goal where Zirkzee almost scored on his own net, United's day got better. A few minutes later, Marc Guéhi fouled Zirkzee on the edge of Palace’s box. There was a pause in the wall when Fernandes passed the free kick to Mount, who scored past Henderson.
Without Sarr's speed, Palace barely had any more chances, and United held on for a big win.
CONTRACTUAL LIFELINE: UNEARTHING THE STRATEGY BEHIND ANDRE ONANA’S RETURN FROM TURKISH LOAN SPELL
Onana vs Lammens: Get the latest on the £44M keeper’s return from Turkey and why Michael Carrick values "reliability over chaos."
Andre Onana isn’t giving up on his Manchester United career, even with his replacement grabbing the spotlight while he’s away on loan. Right now, Onana’s spending the 2025/26 season with Trabzonspor in Turkey, while Senne Lammens has stepped up as United’s new first-choice keeper.
United signed Lammens from Royal Antwerp for £18 million on deadline day last September, and soon after, Onana was shipped out on loan. There’s no option for Trabzonspor to buy him, so Onana will be back at United this summer. He’s already played 72 games for the club.
Onana has turned out 20 times for Trabzonspor, but honestly, United probably aren’t paying much attention. Lammens has looked rock-solid in goal, holding down the spot for 21 straight matches, no matter if Amorim, Darren Fletcher, or Michael Carrick was in charge.
So far, Lammens has five clean sheets and is anchoring a defence that’s clearly improving under Carrick. Altay Bayindir is backing him up, and Tom Heaton is still kicking around in the goalkeeping group.
When United first bought Onana for £44 million from Inter Milan, he was reuniting with Erik ten Hag, his old Ajax boss. He’s still got two years left on his contract. According to Geremi Onana’s friend and a former Cameroon and Chelsea player, Onana hasn’t lost hope of turning things around.
“Listen, I know Andre very well, and there were a lot of issues at United during his time there,” Geremi told Telecom Asia. “It wasn’t all on him. But with Michael Carrick coming in, things are looking up for everyone, including Andre.
“He’s got real talent, and players like him don’t come around often. The next step is for him to go back and fight for his spot. Andre always rises to a challenge. Give him a fair shot, and he’ll show you what he can do.”
We’ll find out what’s next for Onana this summer. United are planning big changes, including a new permanent manager. Carrick is one of the names in the running.
If Carrick gets the job, Onana’s chances might take a hit, since the interim boss is thrilled with Lammens. After Lammens’ man-of-the-match showing in the 1-0 win over Everton, Carrick said, “For me, a keeper needs to be reliable, someone who calms things down, not adds to the chaos. Senne does exactly that.
“He’s quiet and maybe a bit unassuming, but he’s got real steel in him. Stepping in as United’s keeper is a big ask, and not everyone handles it. Sometimes it takes a while to settle, sometimes not. The way he’s handled it so far, he’s calm and composed, and that’s made a huge difference for the defence.”
OFF-PITCH EVOLUTION: INSIDE SIR JIM RATCLIFFE’S TRANSFORMATION OF MANCHESTER UNITED’S OPERATING PROFIT
United's PSR escape! Get the details on the £169M accounting loophole and the club's push for a Champions League spot today.
Manchester United’s summer plans are finally taking shape, especially now that we know last summer’s hefty transfer spending will be spread out over the next six years. United splashed out £236 million on new faces during Ruben Amorim’s first transfer window as manager, snapping up Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, Benjamin Sesko, Diego Leon, and goalkeeper Senne Lammens.
But here’s the catch: the 2024/25 accounting period only counts deals done before June 30, 2025. Mbeumo, Leon, Sesko, and Lammens all arrived after that date in July, August, and September. Those four cost United a combined £169 million.
In a statement, the club made it official: “After June 30, 2025, we acquired or extended the registrations of certain players and football staff for a total of £169,524,000, including associated costs. Payments are due over the next six years. Also, after June 30, 2025, we became liable for sell-on fees and extra payments totalling £2,119,000 for previous signings.”
By spreading that £169 million over six years, United gets more wiggle room under profitability and sustainability rules. That’s a big deal because it lets the club keep investing this summer, right when they have to decide whether to stick with Michael Carrick as manager or bring someone else in.
This week, United announced its second-quarter financial results, showing an operating profit of £32.6 million for the first half of fiscal 2026. That’s a huge swing from last year, when they posted a £3.9 million operating loss for the same period.
The club credits this turnaround to the early impact of off-field changes after Sir Jim Ratcliffe bought in. Ratcliffe wasted no time tightening things up behind the scenes, aiming to make the club more efficient.
Top executives say United has finally got a handle on its structural costs, which helps boost profits and sets the club up for a stronger run, especially if they clinch a Champions League spot.
CEO Omar Berrada put it this way: “We’re now seeing our off-pitch transformation pay off, both in costs and profitability. We’re still focused on football first, and we’re investing in both our men’s and women’s teams.
“On the pitch, our men are fourth in the Premier League, and our women’s team is second in the Women’s Super League. They’ve also reached the League Cup final and the quarter-final of the UEFA Women’s Champions League.
“Today’s results really show the strength of our business as we keep pushing for the best possible results for both teams.”
United hasn’t lost a Premier League game under Carrick, notching up five wins and a draw. That run has lifted them to fourth, just three points behind Aston Villa. Villa plays Wolves tonight, with Wolves stuck at the bottom of the table.
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