The short version
- Crystal Palace crushed Manchester United 4-0 in the Premier League.
- Manchester United have won just one of their last seven games.
- Erik ten Hag may be in danger of losing his job as United coach.
- United are 8th in the league and could be heading for their weakest season since the Premier League was created in 1992.
- Cup final against Manchester City in just 19 days, but United’s problems only continue.
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Manchester United suffered the worst loss for Crystal Palace for over 50 years. Crystal Palace beat Manchester United 5-0 in December 1972. Then Manchester United manager Frank O’Farrell lost his job.For the first time, Palace win both league games against United.
– Totally humiliated, says Viaplay expert Nils Johan Semb. He is not sure if the Dutchman will keep his job for the rest of the season – even though United will play the cup final in just 19 days.
– Everything is possible. This performance is the year’s worst, believes the former Norwegian national team manager.
– I want to continue to fight and will prepare the team for another match, says Erik ten Hag to Sky Sports ahead of the meeting with Arsenal on Sunday.
When directly asked whether he is the right man for the future, he replies:
– Absolutely, replies the United manager and calls the big loss an “underachievement”.
– We didn’t do as we were supposed to. Far from good enough, says Manchester United.
– Everyone sees that we have problems in defence. But we have to deal with it, he adds about the injury crisis and calls it “lousy defensive play”.
Manchester United is in 8th place and could be heading towards its weakest season in the Premier League7th place in the 2013/14 season is the weakest since the Premier League was created in 1992. Manager was David Moyes (fired at West Ham on Monday). ever. In addition, the former champion club finished last in the Champions League group stage.
The BBC’s football writer Phil McNulty thinks Erik ten Hag is a slim prospect.
Also Premier League-expert Lars Tjærnås thinks it may be over now.
– Horror and horror, says Viaplay’s Pål André Helland about perhaps the world’s most famous football club.
– We are the most attractive and forward-looking team in the Premier League, claimed Erik ten Hag to Dutch Viaplay before the match in London.
But it took less than 12 minutes for Manchester United to find themselves in trouble at Selhurst Park. Without an injured Bruno Fernandes, Manchester United had no chance.
- 1–0: Michael Olise received the ball near the middle. The Crystal Palace stalwart outwitted Casemiro and took seven touches before – with his left foot – slotting the ball behind Andre Onana. The Manchester United defence? They backed, backed and backed. Straight into your own garage.
– Embarrassing of Casemiro, said Sky Sports expert Jamie Carragher during the break.
– Nothing is worse than Casemiro as a centre-back. Use (Aaron) Wan-Bissaka in the middle, recommended the former Liverpool profile. Carrangher claims United’s Under-23s would have made a better showing on Monday.
Erik ten Hag will not point to Monday’s captain. The United manager points out that there were five players between Olise and the goal when he got the ball.
– That shouldn’t be possible, says Erik ten Hag.
– Terribly weak defensive play by Manchester United, commented Nils Johan Semb. He believed that Olise was allowed to “walk” into the home team’s leadership. The French 22-year-old scored his eighth league goal of the season.
Manchester United had a ball in the net midway through the half. But Rasmus Højlund was called off for attacking Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson.
After another Manchester United error, another came at the back.
- 2–0: Jean Philippe Mateta turned away Johnny Evans easily. The Frenchman stormed towards the goal and hammered the ball in behind Onana. His 12 league goals of the season – the ninth since Oliver Glazner took over at Crystal Palace in February.
– Manchester United is struggling with a lot, concluded Semb. He summed up the first half by saying that Crystal Palace “had form and five goal chances”. They deservedly led against a Manchester United “out of form and without scoring chances”.
Casemiro put in his own return after a header on the post a few minutes into the 2nd half. But the brass were offside at the front.
But soon the home team took over. Both Eberechi Eze, Tyrick Mitchell and Will Hughes had great chances. Before it slammed again.
- 3–0: Tyrick Mitchell put the ball into the open goal after Denmark’s Joachim Andersen won a duel in the box. VAR assessed the situation, but the goal stood.
- 4–0: Tonight’s long-maligned United stopper Casemiro loses the ball to Daniel Munoz. The track’s giant, Michael Olise, thunders in his second of the evening.
– Total humiliation, screamed Viaplay’s Andreas Toft.
Manchester Evening News gives Christian Eriksen 1 point out of 10 possible points on his player exchange. The rest of the starting line-up gets 2 points in the total slaughter.
Erik ten Hag is in gigantic trouble anyway. In the last seven league games, there has only been a win over table jumbo Sheffield United (one win, four draws and two losses).
Both Jamie Carragher and Alan Shearer have long said that they believe the Dutchman’s days at Old Trafford are soon numbered.
Two key people behind the hiring of Erik ten Hag, managing director Richard Arnold and sporting director John Murtough, have both been removed by the new sporting management of Jim Ratcliffe.
TV 2’s Morten Langli has an original proposal for Manchester United:
With Harry Maguire out, Manchester United fielded Casemiro and Johnny Evans as centre-backs. Manchester United have used 31 different back fours in 48 games this season.
– It is extreme. I have never experienced anything like this, said Erik ten Hag before the match.
Manchester United have reportedly had more than 60 injuries this season. Against Crystal Palace, almost 10 potential first choices were missing.
Manchester United have three league games remaining – Arsenal (home), Newcastle (home) and Brighton (away) – before Manchester City face Manchester City in the FA Cup final at Wembley on 25 May.
