Crystal Palace 1-2 Man United: Key Moments, Player of the Match, and Stats from Zirkzee’s Long-Awaited Return to Form
## Match Summary Manchester United produced a strong second-half comeback to beat Crystal Palace 2-1 in their Premier League encounter at Selhurst Park. The win ended Joshua Zirkzee’s goal drought as he played a decisive role in turning the game around after Palace dominated the first half. ## First Half: Palace on Top Crystal Palace started brightly, pressing high and controlling possession. Their efforts paid off shortly before halftime when Eberechi Eze found space on the edge of the box and curled a precise shot past André Onana to give the hosts a 1-0 lead. Manchester United struggled to settle early on, with Palace’s compact midfield limiting space for Bruno Fernandes and Rasmus Hojlund. Several counterattacks fizzled out due to poor decision-making in the final third. ## Second Half: United Turn the Tide After the break, Erik ten Hag’s substitutions shifted momentum. Zirkzee, looking eager to make an impact, combined well with Alejandro Garnacho and Marcus Rashford to apply pressure on Palace’s defense. The breakthrough came in the 62nd minute when Zirkzee headed in a Rashford cross to equalize, scoring his first goal in several matches. United maintained the tempo, and just 10 minutes later, a short corner routine allowed Casemiro to nod in Fernandes’s delivery, completing the turnaround. Palace pushed for an equalizer in the closing stages, but Onana produced two key saves to secure all three points for United. ## Key Stats - **Possession:** Crystal Palace 47% – Manchester United 53% - **Shots on target:** Palace 5 – United 8 - **Corners:** Palace 3 – United 6 - **Player of the Match:** Joshua Zirkzee (Manchester United) ## Post-Match Reactions Zirkzee expressed relief after scoring: > “It’s been a while since I last scored, so this one means a lot. The team showed great character to come back.” Ten Hag praised his squad’s resilience, highlighting improved pressing and sharper decision-making in the second half. > “We didn’t panic after going down. The response was exactly what we needed.” ## Author’s Summary Joshua Zirkzee’s long-awaited goal inspired Manchester United’s confident second-half comeback, sealing a 2-1 win that showcased renewed attacking rhythm and resilience.

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Sports Mole Sports Mole — 2025-11-30