Report: Crystal Palace 4 United 0

Michael Olise opened the scoring for the hosts in the 13th minute, before Jean-Philippe Mateta doubled that advantage as half-time approached. 

Tyrick Mitchell got a third for Oliver Glasner's side in the second half, prior to Olise getting on the scoresheet once more, to the delight of the majority inside Selhurst Park.

United did have the ball in the net twice on the evening - both times through Casemiro - but an adjudged foul from Rasmus Hojlund on Dean Henderson ruled out the first, while an offside flag against the Brazilian thwarted the following instance. 

FIRST HALF - PALACE PROBE SUCCESSFULLY

An early penalty appeal from the home side, turned down after Mitchell lost his footing between our ball-pursuing centre-back partnership of Casemiro and Jonny Evans, was the most pertinent moment of what was an otherwise steady start to the contest.

Both teams had put together some encouraging early sequences of play to no avail, until the 13th minute, when a penetrative run from Palace winger Olise delivered the opening goal. After receiving Daniel Munoz's throw-in from the right just inside his own half, the home team's no.7 turned, jinked his way past Casemiro and drove to the penalty area where he dragged a low, left-footed strike back across Andre Onana and into the bottom corner.

Looking to respond, United's first real chance of the encounter fell to Mason Mount, who was starting his first game for the Reds since November. The midfielder took a touch to get Diogo Dalot's pass under control before seeing his effort at goal blocked by Munoz, who was now fulfilling his wing-back duties at the other end.

The latter was a lively presence for the Reds to deal with down our left flank, and in the 21st minute he got forward again. The Colombian, on this occasion, combined with Olise once more, cutting the ball back to the scorer who looked to have doubled his tally for the evening with a poked goalbound attempt, before it was blocked by his own striker, Mateta.

Munoz's wing-back counterpart, Mitchell, was also making regular forays forward from the left of Palace's shape. It was his low pass that teed up another chance for Olise shortly after, which he scooped into the grateful palms of Onana.

After a sedate opening to the match, Palace had asserted themselves on top by the midway point of the half, but an encouraging period followed for United. Christian Eriksen curled a free-kick from 20 yards out over the crossbar, before the Reds did have the ball in the net. 

Casemiro met Eriksen's corner from the left and his looping header did make its way over the line, but Hojlund was judged to have fouled former Reds goalkeeper Henderson, as he looked to provide a decisive touch of his own.

With United beginning to find our feet, a second Palace goal just five minutes before half-time would have came as a particular frustration for Ten Hag and co. The hosts won the ball back in the Reds' half, with Chris Richards finding an in-form Mateta, who dribbled past Evans before rifling a powerful strike past Onana to make it 2-0.

SECOND HALF - FROM BAD TO WORSE

The first chance after the interval went the way of the Eagles, and needed a stop from Onana to prevent the two-goal lead from extending. It was created down the flanks once more, with Nathaniel Clyne this time the one to advance on the right. The former Liverpool man played the ball central for Eberechi Eze, who had pulled back into a vacant area, but scuffed his first-time shot at our goalkeeper.

Onana's counterpart, Henderson, then had work to do at the other end, as United searched for the game's crucial third goal. The ex-Reds stopper kept out a curling attempt from Antony, after the Brazilian had done well to work some space following a neat interchange with Dalot on the right.

Henderson was beaten moments later, but for the second time on the evening, the Reds' celebrations were cut short. Casemiro had set off a fraction too soon to meet an Eriksen free-kick, heading first onto the post before bundling in the rebound, but the assistant referee raised his flag to signal that the Brazilian was offside.

That was to be our best moment before the home side reasserted the control that had seen them create a first-half advantage. Approaching the hour mark, they mounted a series of dangerous attacks that eventually rewarded them with the game's third goal. Mitchell and Will Hughes had both been denied by Onana, before the former got on the scoresheet, diverting home Joachim Andersen's ball across the six-yard area, after United had failed to fully clear a corner.

A difficult night got even trickier for Ten Hag's men shortly after the hour mark, when Olise got his second goal of the contest, and Palace's fourth. Munoz won the ball off Casemiro by the byline and played the ball back to his winger, who worked a shooting angle before powering past Onana from the edge of the box.

Dalot's block denied Olise a hat-trick, as our travelling supporters continued to get behind the Reds despite the uncomfortable scoreline, singing away from their assembled viewpoint in the Arthur Wait Stand.

Six minutes of stoppage time were added and, as the clash wound to a conclusion, Palace's substitutes were keen to get in on the act before the final whistle. First, Odsonne Edouard struck the post, before Onana saved Jordan Ayew's deflected attempt.

They proved to be the final notable openings before a chastening evening for United was brought to a close by referee Jarred Gillett, soon after.

MATCH DETAILS

Crystal Palace: Henderson; Clyne (Guehi 78), Richards, Andersen (c); Munoz, Hughes (Riedewald 68), Wharton, Mitchell; Olise (Ayew 85), Mateta (Edouard 68), Eze (Schlupp 85).

Unused substitutes: Matthews, Ward, Ahamada, Rak-Sakyi.

Booked: Edouard.

Goals: Olise 12, 66, Mateta 40, Mitchell 58.

United: Onana; Wan-Bissaka, Casemiro (c), Evans, Dalot; Mainoo, Eriksen; Antony (Amrabat 60), Mount (Amad 80), Garnacho; Hojlund (Wheatley 80).

Unused substitutes: Bayindir, Heaton, Amass, Jackson, Ogunneye, Collyer.

Booked: Amrabat.