ANALYTICAL: HOW MASON MOUNT & BRUNO FERNANDES TRICKED PALACE TO SCORE WINNER
Mason Mount reveals the secret half-second conversation with Bruno Fernandes that led to his match-winning goal vs. Palace. He confirms he's fit and ready to push for the top four.
Despite the freezing temperatures near the away locker room at Selhurst Park after the game, Manchester United's team was in high spirits. Captain Bruno Fernandes joked with Joshua Zirkzee to pull up his pants, and a smiling Luke Shaw chatted at length with veteran commentator Martin Tyler before heading to the team bus.
Ruben Amorim kept the good vibes going by joking with the journalists waiting in the mixed zone about doing a quick press conference before the real one. Eventually, he apologised and headed upstairs to the Media Centre.
Match winner Mason Mount was clearly happy as he walked up to the journalists, joking that we were blocking his exit. After the laughter died down, Mount told us about the conversation he had with Fernandes just before the winning goal.
He said, We always chat a bit. I told him, 'I’ll roll it to you,' and he said, 'You stay there.' Then I said, 'You shoot,' because the sun was tough today and caused problems for us in the first half with long balls. I thought it would be hard for Henderson to see the ball in the goal.
But he said, 'You stay there,' and rolled it over. You could see my reaction to getting on the end of it… He said it really fast, which helped. They didn’t see it coming, they didn’t see us talking, and they were slow to react. It’s about finding that little bit of space in the wall, that little distraction, and then hitting the target.
Sunday marked the first time Mount played a full 90 minutes in the league since his time at Chelsea, against the same team as this weekend, no less. It felt like forever; Mount laughed when asked about playing the entire game.
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It's a huge positive for me. I've been working hard lately, and I feel great now, so getting those 90 minutes is really good. Now it's all about recovery and getting ready for the next game.
At halftime, such a lighthearted chat with Mount seemed unlikely. United played poorly in the first 45 minutes and deservedly trailed at the break thanks to Jean-Philippe Mateta's penalty.
While United fans might have been worried, Amorim wasn't in the locker room. Mount said, He told us to keep going, stay calm, and do what we needed to do. We all knew what to do in the second half.
They recently played, so we thought they might tire in the second half. There were chances for us, so we just kept doing what we were doing. Obviously, it's tough to be down 1-0, but we showed character to get back into the game in the second half.
While not a perfect showing, the result is what matters most for the Reds right now. They're now close to the top four again, and Mount made it clear that he wants to keep pushing forward.
He said, I've had minor issues, but nothing serious [this season]. I've felt good this season; I had a good preseason. I've been working hard in training every week, not just me, but as a group. It's been up and down, but we're in a much better place, both I personally and as a group.
We need to keep this going now and win more games, and the most important thing is to win. The last game was a tough result, but coming back today was really important. Now it's time to push on and aim for those top four spots.
WHY MARCUS RASHFORD IS OFFICIALLY SNUBBING MICHAEL CARRICK’S MANCHESTER UNITED SOS RETURN PLEA
Marcus Rashford has no interest in a Manchester United return. Discover why he’s choosing a permanent £26m move to Barcelona instead.
Marcus Rashford isn’t looking back at Manchester United. After his loan to Barcelona, he’s made it pretty clear he wants to stay in Spain for good.
He landed at Barca last summer, a move that made sense after things soured for him at Old Trafford. Hansi Flick brought him in on a season-long loan, with a deal in place to buy him for €30 million (£26 million). Rashford wasted no time showing his worth—22 goal contributions in 32 games. He’s settled in fast, and the fans have noticed.
Earlier on, it sounded like Barcelona might try to haggle over the fee, maybe push for another loan or a cheaper deal. But now, according to Marca, that’s off the table. The club’s ready to pay what they agreed and make Rashford’s move permanent. Rashford wants it too. Everyone seems to be on the same page.
The Mirror reports Rashford has zero interest in heading back to Manchester. He wants his future sorted before England sets off for the 2026 World Cup in North America. No surprise there—he’s not looking to drag things out.
England’s first match is June 17 against Croatia, just two weeks after Barcelona’s season wraps up. Some talk suggested Michael Carrick, if he gets the United job permanently, could try to lure Rashford back. But honestly, Rashford’s mind is made up. He wants Spain, and that’s that.
Even if the Barcelona deal somehow falls through, Rashford would rather move elsewhere than wear United’s shirt again. If everything goes as planned, his transfer will be United’s first big move this summer.
He’s not the only one heading out. Casemiro’s already confirmed he’s leaving, and a few others might follow. United have juggled rumours about guys like Manuel Ugarte, Joshua Zirkzee, and Kobbie Mainoo, especially back in January. After Ruben Amorim left, Mainoo actually found himself in a stronger spot at United and has started every match since Carrick came back. Lately, there’s been a real push to get him into the England squad.
Meanwhile, United are fighting for a Champions League spot. If they make the top five, they’ll have more cash to play with this summer. Last year, they spent over £200 million beefing up the squad, even without European football.
If Rashford, Ugarte, and Zirkzee all leave, United will have even more flexibility to reshape the team. Top priorities? A central midfielder, a centre-forward, and a left winger before the 2026/27 season kicks off. This summer’s shaping up to be busy at Old Trafford.
COLE PALMER "OPEN" TO MANCHESTER UNITED SWITCH AMID HOMESICK RUMORS
Cole Palmer is reportedly open to a summer move to boyhood club Manchester United as claims of homesickness emerge at Chelsea.
Cole Palmer just can’t seem to escape transfer talk. Now, it’s Manchester United in the headlines, with rumours swirling that he’s homesick after spending two and a half years at Chelsea.
Apparently, Palmer wouldn’t mind a big summer move to United—his boyhood club—especially with fresh claims that he’s not exactly settled in London. He joined Chelsea from Manchester City in a £42.5 million deal and quickly became one of their main attacking threats. But now, the England international’s name keeps popping up in connection to a return up north.
The Sun says Palmer would be open if United came calling, since he grew up supporting them. But don’t expect him to head back to City while Pep Guardiola’s still the boss. That door’s basically closed.
It’s worth noting that Jason Wilcox, United’s director of football, knows Palmer well from his time at City’s academy. Wilcox is a big fan—hard not to be, after Palmer racked up 15 goals and eight assists in the Premier League last season.
Despite signing a new deal with Chelsea last year that runs until 2033, Palmer reportedly misses his hometown of Wythenshawe.
Injuries have made this season tough for him. He’s only managed 13 appearances in the 2025-26 campaign, and he missed Chelsea’s 3-1 win over Crystal Palace on Sunday because of a thigh problem. Liam Rosenior, Chelsea’s new head coach, confirmed that before the match.
Rosenior’s already tried to put a lid on the transfer rumours, especially the talk about Palmer being homesick. “I’ve spoken to Cole plenty of times, and he seems really happy here,” Rosenior said last week. “He’s a huge part of our long-term plans.
“My job—and the club’s—is to help him consistently play at his best. He was frustrated after the Brentford game, for sure. We need to take care of him, and that’s why I kept him out of the last match.”