Preview: Crystal Palace v United

Tuesday 17 January 2023 14:28

Manchester United will be looking to record a sixth successive Premier League win during Wednesday evening’s away game against Crystal Palace.

The Reds are currently on a nine-game run of victories across all competitions, and have eyes firmly set on another important three points at Selhurst Park, following Saturday’s derby triumph. 

Our visit to the capital is the first of two in a five-day period, with a trip to league leaders Arsenal to follow on Sunday. 

But our attention is on midweek matters in the south of London, and so here is everything you need to know ahead of our next outing…
Part one: Erik's pre-Palace press conference Video

Part one: Erik's pre-Palace press conference

The boss discusses Martial's fitness, Weghorst and Bruno's position, ahead of our trip to London...

HOW CAN I FOLLOW THE GAME?

Wednesday’s fixture is a 20:00 GMT kick-off that you can follow with ManUtd.com, MUTV and in the United App. Our pre-match show gets under way at 18:55 GMT, shortly before the team news is announced, while you can listen to live radio commentary during the 90 minutes and see post-match reaction after the final whistle.

If you miss the game, or simply want to revisit the key moments, highlights will be available on our platforms two hours after full-time, with extended versions viewable from midnight. 

Supporters in the UK can watch the encounter live on Sky Sports.

THE OPPOSITION

In their second season under former Arsenal midfielder Patrick Vieira, the Eagles currently occupy 12th spot in the Premier League, the same position in which they finished at the end of the ex-France international’s inaugural campaign. Since the restart, they’ve won just one of five across all competitions, including two Premier League defeats at home without scoring, to Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur – the Londoners haven’t suffered three losses while being shut out at Selhurst Park since 2017. Former Reds winger Wilfried Zaha has topped their goalscoring charts for the last two seasons, and is at the summit again this term, having netted six times in 2022/23 so far. 
Wilfried Zaha made four senior appearances for United between 2013 and 2015.
TEAM NEWS

Ten Hag is hopeful that Anthony Martial has avoided injury having been withdrawn at half-time of Saturday’s Manchester derby, saying the Frenchman “was not capable to go 100 per cent” but played due to his importance to United’s game plan against City. Fellow forward, and new loan signing, Wout Weghorst is contention to make his debut for the club having watched the weekend’s game from the stands. United are definitely without Jack Butland, who is ineligible to face his parent club, while Donny van de Beek is out for the season. Diogo Dalot and Jadon Sancho have recently been unavailable.

As for the hosts, Vieira and Palace are awaiting an update on centre-back Joachim Andersen who was forced off in their 1-0 defeat to Chelsea on Sunday. Nathan Ferguson and James McArthur are absentees.

Ten Hag discusses team news for Palace

 Article

The boss hopes Anthony Martial has avoided injury as he prepares for the trip to the capital.

FORM GUIDE

United have won seven out of seven across all competitions since the World Cup break, while Crystal Palace will be looking for a second triumph since the mid-season hiatus, having been victorious in just one of five outings. That win came at Bournemouth for the Londoners, but before the pause, Vieira’s side had lost just twice in 90 minutes across their eight matches leading up to the winter tournament. 

HEAD-TO-HEAD RECORD

Palace versus United is a fixture with a fair amount of history – both in the Premier League and the domestic cups – and the sides have met a total of 61 times down the years. The Reds have 39 wins to the Eagles’ 10 in the contest (12 draws), but in recent times, it would be fair to say that fortunes have been shared. Since the 2018/19 season, each have won on three occasions, with two further meetings drawn. In 2021/22’s league encounters, the Reds triumphed 1-0 at Old Trafford thanks to a late Fred winner, before the Londoners were victorious by the same scoreline on the final day of the campaign, at Selhurst Park.
90 in 20: United 1 Palace 0 Video

90 in 20: United 1 Palace 0

Take an extended look at how the Reds won our first game under Ralf Rangnick...

RIVALS WATCH

Our trip to the south of the capital is one of two Premier League fixtures that have been rearranged for this midweek, following their initial postponements as a mark of respect following Her Majesty The Queen’s passing in September. 

WEDNESDAY 18 JANUARY 

Crystal Palace v UNITED (20:00)

THURSDAY 19 JANUARY 

Manchester City v Tottenham Hotspur (20:00)

Both times are listed in GMT.

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