Afternoon all and welcome to
Sports Mole's live text coverage of the Premier League clash between
Manchester United and
Crystal Palace from Old Trafford. United have taken four points from their two league fixtures this season - following a 4-0 win over Chelsea with a 1-1 draw against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Monday night.
Palace, meanwhile, opened their 2019-20 campaign with a goalless draw at home to Everton before losing away to Sheffield United last weekend. Right, time for the team news...
TEAMS!
UNITED: De Gea; Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Maguire, Shaw; McTominay, Pogba; James, Lingard, Rashford, Martial
PALACE: Guaita; Ward, Kelly, Cahill, Van Aanholt; Milivojevic, Kouyate, McArthur; Schlupp, Ayew, Zaha
United are unchanged from the team that started against Wolves on Monday night, with Anthony Martial again at the tip of the attack. Jesse Lingard also keeps his spot despite struggling to contribute at Molineux. Scott McTominay will once again line up alongside Paul Pogba, who might well have passed permanent penalty duties onto Marcus Rashford following his miss against Wolves.
As for Palace, head coach Roy Hodgson has made four changes to the team that started against Sheffield United. In come Gary Cahill, Cheikhou Kouyate, Jeffrey Schlupp and Jordan Ayew, with Andros Townsend and Christian Benteke both dropping to the bench. Wilfried Zaha does start, though, and will be keen to make an impression against his former club.
KICKOFF: United kick things off at Old Trafford...
... there is a brilliant atmosphere inside the stadium this afternoon, and why not? United have made a positive start to the season, and the fans are feeling pretty good at the moment. It is a huge, huge ask for Palace to pick up anything in this game.
Possession football for United in the early exchanges, which is to be as expected. Palace are fairly deep at the moment as they just look to stem the flow of early pressure.
James combines with Wan-Bissaka down the right before delivering into a dangerous area, but Palace manage to clear their lines. It could be a very busy afternoon for Cahill on his Palace debut - you do get the feeling that the visitors will have to ride out some early pressure.
No chances to report in the first seven minutes of this game, but United are having all of the possession. Nothing much from Zaha or Ayew in the Palace attack thus far here.
CLOSE! McTominay rises to meet a corner from the left but his effort is too high. First sign of a threat from the home side with seven minutes on the clock.
The fans inside the stadium are creating a brilliant atmosphere as United continue to force the issue with Martial winning a free kick from Kelly in somewhat of a dangerous area...
SHOT! ... Rashford delivers deep towards the far post and it eventually falls for Shaw, whose strike is over the crossbar from a tough angle. Another half-chance for the home side.
Rashford breaks into a dangerous position after Palace lose the ball in midfield - Kelly is back to make the challenge, though, after the attacker took far too long to shoot.
Martial's first touch in the first 13 minutes has been very, very sharp. Indeed, the Frenchman again gathers the ball before turning away from Kelly, who hacks him to the ground.
Kelly is still down after injuring himself making the challenge - United will have a free kick in a decent position when the match does eventually resume here...
SHOT! ... Rashford's free kick was always swinging wide of the post.
SAVE! Guaita manages to keep out a strike from James after the ball had broken for the Wales international inside the Palace box. Martial delivered across goal towards the attacker - Guaita was on hand to make a smart reaction save, though, to keep the scores level.
On second look, Van Aanholt might have made the block rather than a save from Guaita. Either way, the ball stayed out of the back of the net. Still 0-0 with 19 minutes played.
Bit better from Palace in the last couple of minutes with the visitors enjoying some good possession down the left. United just need to keep the pressure on the Eagles here.
United have a free kick just outside the Palace box once again with Kelly bringing Martial to the ground - Pogba and Rashford are both standing near it, again....
SHOT! ... Rashford's free kick is over the crossbar. Bit of a waste.
Wan-Bissaka has been very solid for United in the first 27 minutes. It is very interesting to see Zaha playing against Shaw on the other side rather than facing up to Wan-Bissaka.
© Reuters
Just a bit of concern over James here as the Welshman goes down on the field, which sees the physio come on. Andreas Pereira has been sent to warm up for the home side here.
James comes back on but now Shaw has a problem - Young is getting ready. Not ideal for United, and this little stoppage will give Palace the time to reset once again here.
Shaw is now back on the field, for the time being. Young back on the bench!
GOAL! MANCHESTER UNITED 0-1 CRYSTAL PALACE (AYEW)
GOAL! Palace make the breakthrough in the 32nd minute of the match as Ayew races onto a flick from Schlupp before sliding the ball into the bottom corner of the net. Huge moment in this game - Palace's first attack of the match leads to them taking the lead.
© Reuters
Ayew is not exactly the most productive of scorers but the attacker has netted a huge goal here. Shaw now looks to be limping off the field for the home side here.
MAN UNITED SUB! Young replaces Shaw for the home side.
SHOT! United really need to bounce back before the interval here. Young tries his luck from distance, although the defender's effort was always moving wide of the post.
SAVE! Huge chance for Palace to score a second as Zaha finds himself free inside the United box following a mix-up but De Gea is on hand to make a big save for the home side.
YELLOW CARD! Milivojevic (Palace) is booked for a foul on Lingard.
Little over five minutes of the first period remaining and Palace still have the lead. United are not really offering anything in the final third of the field at the moment here.
YELLOW CARD! Cahill (Palace) is now booked for a foul on Martial.
United have a free kick just outside the Palace box...
SHOT! ... Pogba's free kick is too high. Palace still lead at Old Trafford.
You do get the feeling that United will have chances in the second period, but Palace are more than capable of scoring a second on the break. Almost half-time at Old Trafford.
We are into the first of five added minutes at the end of the first half, which is an indication of the injuries that have occurred. Well, stoppages at least. Palace are not quite there.
Not too much happening in added time to be honest. Palace are pressing high up the field and United are finding it tough to play through the lines as we approach the break.
McTominay loses the ball in the middle of the park and there are serious groans in the crowd, who are not too happy with what they have seen in the last 15 minutes or so. Something will have to change for United because this is not good enough at the moment.
HALF TIME: MANCHESTER UNITED 0-1 CRYSTAL PALACE
So there we have it - the referee brings the first period to a close with Palace leading 1-0 courtesy of a smart finish from Ayew. United started quite well and had some moments in the final third, but it has been a very poor first-half performance from the home side here.
STATISTICS! United had 65% of the ball in the first period, but hit the target with just one of their 10 attempts. Palace, meanwhile, registered two shots on target from three attempts. Two yellow cards to report in the first half - both for Palace - with Milivojevic and Cahill both in the book.
BENCH WATCH! United have already had to make a change this afternoon with Young taking the place of the injured Shaw. In terms of other options, Solskjaer has Greenwood, Mata, Matic, Pereira and Tuanzebe as his five outfield options in the second half here.
Palace, meanwhile, have plenty of quality on their bench in the shape of Benteke, Meyer, Townsend and McCarthy. Hodgson's change of tactics have certainly worked thus far.
KICKOFF: Palace resume the action here...
... no changes from either side at the break, which is perhaps not too much of a surprise. However, there is no question that both managers will have alterations in mind as the second period ticks on, particularly if the score stays 1-0 to the away side here.
Good start to the second period from Palace, who have come out fired-up when it perhaps should be the other way around. Will there be a response from the home side here?
Smart defending from Van Aanholt to clear a dangerous cross from Young. The resulting corner is towards McTominay, although Kelly does enough to put off the midfielder.
December 1989 is the last time that Palace won at Old Trafford in the league. Indeed, the Eagles have ever won a Premier League match inside this stadium. Still plenty of time for things to change, but the visitors have given themselves an excellent platform here.
Lingard is finding it difficult to control the ball at the moment, which is bringing more groans from the home supporters. United are having all of the possession, although Palace are comfortable.
Mason Greenwood is going to enter the field for United.
Martial goes to ground inside the Palace box and wants a penalty, but the referee is not interested. VAR will be having a look to see whether there as a foul from Kelly...
... should be a penalty - Kelly has pulled Martial to the ground.
MAN UNITED SUB! Greenwood replaces Lingard for the home side.
Little over 30 minutes of the second period remaining and the clock is against United as they desperately look to get back into this match. Can Palace hold on for a huge win?
Absolutely nothing happening for Palace in the final third of the field, which is not too much of a surprise. It is almost as if the visitors are comfortable defending because they do not feel that the home side have the guile to fashion chances without the space to operate.
Rashford attempts to make something happen for United after driving towards the Palace box, but the attacker cannot find James and the ball goes out for a goal kick. Poor.
It is very early in the season but you do get the feeling that this would be a huge defeat for United - it would really calm what has been a positive start to the season thus far.
Mata, Matic, Pereira and Tuanzebe - those are the outfield options left on the United bench. And to be honest, with the greatest of respects, none of those would particularly worry Palace if they entered the field. Mata would perhaps be the obvious choice as the home side have seriously lacked guile this afternoon - Palace are defending very deep here.
Milivojevic has been down for some time following a collision with Pogba. There is no real concern over the midfielder, who is certainly helping the clock tick along at Old Trafford.
The concern for United is that nothing is happening at the moment in terms of chances - they are having plenty of the ball but are not forcing Guaita to make saves here.
PENALTY! United have a penalty!
PENALTY! McArthur brings McTominay to the ground and United have a spot kick. Rashford will take, Pogba is nowhere to be seen. Huge moment in this football match...
OFF THE POST! ... Rashford hits the post and it goes for a goal kick!
Disaster for United as they miss a penalty for the second successive match.
YELLOW CARD! James (United) is booked for simulation.
United are still forcing the issue but do not really look like scoring from open play at the moment, which will be a concern. Could Mata settle things down late on here?
PALACE SUB! Palace make their first change of the match as Benteke enters the field for Ayew, whose first-half goal is deciding the contest at the moment.
United win a free kick right on the edge of the box, although it is out wide rather than in a shooting position. Little over 10 minutes of football remaining here...
... Palace deal with the danger, for now, as United have a corner kick.
Pogba heads over the crossbar from a difficult angle.
YELLOW CARD! Zaha (Palace) is booked for a foul on James.
Little over 10 minutes of the second period remaining, and Palace are preparing to make their second change of the match with Andros Townsend preparing to enter the field.
PALACE SUB! Townsend enters the field for Schlupp here.
VAR are going to have a look at a possible penalty for United here as Ward looks to bring Rashford to the ground. The referee did not give it - let's have a look...
... VAR have not given it. Play continues.
PALACE SUB! McCarthy replaces Kouyate for the away side.
United continued to press as we head into the final five minutes, and Juan Mata will soon enter the field for the home side. Can Palace hold on in the final moments here?
UNITED SUB! Mata replaces McTominay for the home side.
YELLOW CARD! Guaita (Palace) is booked for wasting time. Little under five left here.
Still time for United to fashion something late on here...
GOAL! MANCHESTER UNITED 1-1 CRYSTAL PALACE (JAMES)
GOAL! Superb strike from James as the Welshman picks out the top corner with a brilliant finish to level the scores at Old Trafford. Oh how United needed that from the number 21!
SHOT! Zaha breaks clear for Palace and looks to either test De Gea or deliver a low cross but his effort is wide of the post. How much added time will be signalled at the end of the game?
We are into the first of five additional minutes at Old Trafford!
GOAL! MANCHESTER UNITED 1-2 CRYSTAL PALACE (VAN AANHOLT)
GOAL! Horror moment from De Gea as the United goalkeeper allows a strike from Van Aanholt to squeeze under his body. Palace look to have won this game at the death.
Terrible, terrible from De Gea. United are surely now going to lose their first game of the season. Palace are close to recording their first ever Premier League win over United.
FULL TIME: MANCHESTER UNITED 1-2 CRYSTAL PALACE
So there we have it - the final whistle is blown and Palace have their first ever Premier League win over Manchester United. What a huge result for both of these teams. Thanks for joining Sports Mole for our live coverage once again. See you soon!