Manchester United host Crystal Palace for the second time in a week on Saturday and will be hoping the game has a similar outcome to their first meeting. The Red Devils comfortably defeated Palace 3-0 at Old Trafford on Tuesday to book a place in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup.
The two teams switch their attention back to the Premier League this weekend and will be keen to put their early season inconsistencies behind them. United are currently ninth in the table having won just three of their first six games, while Palace are a point behind with a W2, D2, L2 record.
Online bookmakers rate United as the 3/5 favourites to win the game and plenty of punters are expected to take advantage of what look to be generous odds. Many bettors may try their luck soccer themed online pokies in the run-up to the game in a bid to give themselves an even bigger pot to play with. Having triumphed over Palace in midweek, United undoubtedly look a good bet to follow up this weekend.
Read on as we look at their recent form before assessing their chances of recording another valuable victory at Old Trafford.
Ten Hag says ‘togetherness’ is the key to United’s form
Three wins in six league games have left the Red Devils a whopping nine points adrift of league leaders Manchester City. While it is too early to write off their title chances just yet, you would be hard-pushed to argue their form screams ‘potential league champions’.
However, United are only five points behind fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur and could make up some ground over the next few weeks. They returned to winning ways in the league last weekend at Burnley, before producing a dominant display in their midweek cup tie against Palace. Two successive clean sheets is an excellent foundation to build from and demonstrate that manager Erik ten Hag may have finally steadied the ship.
Off-field distractions and injuries have blighted United during the early part of the season, but the players appear to have put that behind them in the past week. Ten Hag believes the collective spirit they have shown should serve them well as they strive to bridge the gap between themselves and the leading teams.
“The mood with us is always good, but of course, when you are not winning, at United, there is disappointment, there is frustration, but the togetherness is always there with us,” he told MUTV. “We know that we are not now in the position where we want to be, yeah. So we have to build up, we have to catch up. Then you have to go from game to game, working on the process and working on the results. We don’t think too far ahead, the next game is the most important, always.”
United look primed to pummel Palace
Palace offered little resistance to United in midweek and it is difficult to imagine them having any better luck on their second visit. While United still have a sizeable list of absentees, they were able to welcome several key players back into the squad against Palace.
Sofyan Amrabat looked particularly impressive and it would be no surprise to see Ten Hag hand him another start this weekend. Mason Mount and Raphael Varane also got some game time under their belts and will likely feature against the Eagles.
One issue Ten Hag will be keen to address is the lack of goals from his forward players, with midfielder Casemiro the current top scorer with four goals in all competitions. Marcus Rashford is among the players who needs to step things up having been the team’s leading attacking light during the previous campaign. Rasmus Hojlund will also be eager to get off the mark in the league after failing to get on the scoresheet in three appearances this term.
Their cause will be helped by Palace’s lengthy list of injuries, which is limiting the options veteran manager Roy Hodgson has at his disposal. However, Marc Guehi and Eberechi Eze should be back in the line-up after being benched for the cup game and they will add quality to Palace’s line-up.
While United still have plenty of work to get themselves back into the top four mix, this weekend’s game provides them with an excellent opportunity to get another three points on the board. Palace have beaten United just four times in 26 meetings since the turn of the century – a record which should give the home side plenty of confidence.
With games to come against Brentford (H) and Sheffield United (A), Ten Hag’s side have the chance to build some momentum before they host Man City on October 29. Three points this weekend would keep United in touching distance of the top four and they are strongly fancied to get the job done.
