LONDON – It is easy to understand why Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is so reluctant to change his Manchester United team, but how many more times can this formation go into the well?
United was below its peak in this 2-0 victory over Crystal Palace in Selhurst Park, which needed the kind of officiating luck that the VAR was designed to eradicate to earn and thus retain an advantage given to them in the first. suspension time by Marcus Rashford. Their second goal was a perfect example of why Solskjaer continues to place such high demands on Rashford, Anthony Martial and Bruno Fernandes to maintain the club’s push for Champions League qualification. Rashford skipped two Palace players with ease, finding Fernandes in the left channel. He threw a pass at Rashford, which showed a clever touch to fend off Martial’s path the first time, and the Frenchman curled a blow at home that eventually killed this game as a race.
It was a wonderful move, the type of goal that has become a trademark of Solskjaer and precisely the type of combined game they will need to continue producing if this season is successful. Yet they were able to make such a devastating attack only after benefiting from two extremely tight calls, the second of which left the palace chief Roy Hodgson laughing in disbelief, sitting leaning back.
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Palace president Steve Parish could not hide his disgust that Wilfried Zaha was denied what he described on Twitter as a “stone wall penalty” for a challenge by Victor Lindelof at times when United he counterattacked to open the score. VAR official Simon Hooper decided that referee Graham Scott had not made an obvious and obvious mistake, believing Lindelof may have touched the ball while Zaha gestured for him to make a pass.
Parish’s fury was undoubtedly exacerbated by Jordan Ayew who was denied a tie by the tightest of VAR calls, a replay showing the tip of the Palace’s foot was right behind Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s outstretched leg on the opposite side of the field before he slid the ball back home.
Palace was the best side at the beginning, remaining compact between defense and midfield to deny Fernandes, Martial, Rashford and Mason Greenwood the space they enjoy to receive passes in the half-turn. Greenwood was replaced after a quiet evening and although Fernandes hit the post just before the second martial, this was one of the Portuguese’s least influential performances after an extraordinary string of forms since arriving from Sporting Lisbon in January.
Any effort would be understandable given that this was United’s eighth game in 28 days and Solskjaer had named the same formation in the previous five Premier League games, the first time the Red Devils had done it since Sir Alex Ferguson did in 1993. He made only two changes here, and one of them was imposed with Timothy Fosu-Mensah starting from the left back due to injuries Luke Shaw and Brandon Williams suffered a 2-2 draw on Monday against Southampton. Scott McTominay has replaced Nemanja Matic to refresh the midfield.
United were perhaps unlucky to concede late what they did against the Saints – especially because of Williams’ injury that left them with 10 men – but on that occasion they seemed to get tired as Solskjaer’s first safety substitutions called for further pressures. Against Palace, Solskjaer only made two in-game substitutions – Matic and Jesse Lingard for McTominay and Greenwood immediately after the timekeeping – and in all honesty the hosts did not gather much to cause him undue worries later, Zaha who later approaches with a low disc that forced David De Gea to a smart reflex saved with his left foot.
“We are fine, we are in shape and the players are looking forward to going,” Solskjaer told ESPN. “They want to play again. Of course, anyone can raise their hands and say, ‘I want to sit outside this.’ We have players on the bench in a desperate attempt to join, but obviously I was forced with Brandon and Luke unavailable today, but Timothy was great. Scotty was fantastic. He took the turn for Nemanja, so we have enough players. the possibility of removing the players, we scored three goals in many games after 60 minutes, so we were lucky in this regard. “
He will continue to be confident if Rashford and Martial in particular continue in this form. In a week in which he became the youngest recipient of an honorary degree from the University of Manchester for his work that convinced the government to extend free school meals over the summer, the 22-year-old scored his goal 17 ° championship of the season. Only Jamie Vardy, Danny Ings, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Mohamed Salah have scored more.
United finally responded well to Monday’s disappointment of staying in fifth place and keeping fate in their hands given the last day’s trip to Leicester City, occupying fourth place in goal difference with Chelsea one point above the pair in third.
Solskjaer has some difficult decisions to face. He made eight changes to the English Cup quarter-final win against Norwich City, but Chelsea’s presence and proximity to a trophy make this bout more difficult at Wembley this weekend. Likewise, they could have eight more games left if they progress in the FA Cup and the Europa League in the coming weeks.
There are options available with Lingard, Odion Ighalo, Daniel James and Juan Mata among those that can refresh the attacking positions. But the quartet’s limited quality is further indication of the need to strengthen this summer if United are to compete with the best teams in four competitions next year.
There were no full-time celebrations. Indeed, some players fell on the back, Fosu-Mensah remained on the ground stretching his muscles to avoid cramps after his first senior start with the club since May 2017.
United knows that there is still work to be done. They also know that there is no point in wasting energy.
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