Manchester United

We asked for your thoughts after Sunday's Premier League game between Crystal Palace and Manchester United.

Here are some of your comments:

Palace fans

Theo: We've not got the squad depth to cope with Europe and the Premier League. You could see the defenders were tired and losing concentration, and so it's no surprise both goals we conceded came in the second half. United were better after the break and we just looked leggy. The quality in depth isn't there across the squad. I don't blame Glasner or the players - we simply need reinforcements in January.

Alfie: What can you expect when you can't finish? I'm fed up of these fans protecting Mateta - he missed two clear-cut chances before the penalty. Daichi missed one as well. It seems as soon as we get a goal, we just give up. United wanted it more when they were 2-1 up. We've only got ourselves to blame.

Andy: Got what we deserved in second half. Poor by Kamada for the equaliser and where was the wall on the second? The expression by Henderson showed he wasn't happy with what was in front of him. Seemed a lot like Thursday's game - opportunities in first and second half prior to the equaliser, then the opposition get the boost. I do question the free kick leading to the second, but we still need to defend properly.

Jacob: Definitely got worse after Sarr came off - he is such a key player for us.

Man Utd fans

Bob: Abysmal first half, lacking in confidence and commitment. Obviously Amorim said the right thing at half-time as the second-half display was much better (not that that was difficult). A very good result against a well-disciplined side with a fantastic defensive record.

Agim: Giving United the credit when it's due. Very tactical game as they play the same formation. However, United's performance was much better and much stronger - sometimes too strong (Casemiro on the last minute of the game!). Can we carry this performance through to Thursday? I hope so. Defensively, we must do better - and Bruno definitely needs help in midfield. Consistency is the thing that United need to look at. Anyway, three points - not too bad.

Eddie: Showed resilience by coming back to score two against a watertight defence. Mount controlled his shot and kept it low to score a deserved winner. United still not firing on all cylinders and will need to be more aggressive to win those second balls. Steady progress.

Peter: Still stuttering, but at least more commitment is being shown by most of the team. Are we turning the corner? Let's keep that on hold until after the Christmas fixtures...

Pundits Alan Shearer and Micah Richards join host Kelly Cates to bring you the action and talking points from Sunday's Premier League fixtures.

There's a London derby as Chelsea take on Arsenal, Manchester United travel to Crystal Palace, and struggling Wolves make the short journey to Aston Villa. Elsewhere, West Ham entertain Liverpool and Nottingham Forest face Brighton.

Watch on BBC iPlayer here

And listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Aston Villa 1-0 Wolves

• Nottingham Forest 0-2 Brighton

• West Ham 0-2 Liverpool

• Chelsea 1-1 Arsenal

Manchester United are serious about signing Real Madrid's Uruguay midfielder Federico Valverde and will attempt to capitalise on any interest the 27-year-old shows in moving to Old Trafford. (Fichajes - in Spanish), external

Barcelona sporting director Deco says on-loan forward Marcus Rashford is "happy" at the club and they want to keep him if possible. (Times - subscription required), external

Meanwhile, United will welcome 17-year-old Colombian midfielder Cristian Orozco to the club in the next few days, with his transfer from Fortaleza CEIF set to be finalised in July. (Star), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Monday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Simon Stone
Manchester United reporter

Image source, Getty Images

There have been many opinions offered about Joshua Zirkzee since his arrival at Old Trafford, not many of them good.

The Dutch forward has guts - he could not have recovered from the reaction he received from the United supporters when he was substituted after just 33 minutes of the home defeat by Newcastle last December without it.

But his ability has been a talking point. His lack of opportunities this season have led him to believe his future lay elsewhere - a view with added urgency given he has lost his place in the Netherlands squad.

Finally offered an opportunity against Everton because of the injuries that have sidelined Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko, Zirkzee was again poor and few would have been surprised if he had been replaced.

Ruben Amorim had other ideas. He remained loyal even after another disappointing 45 minutes and was rewarded with a vicious swerving shot from the striker that had too much pace for former United keeper Dean Henderson as it found the far corner.

It was his first league goal in almost exactly a year and might give all parties pause for thought about his future.

Within nine minutes, the visitors were ahead as Mason Mount profited from quick thinking by Fernandes as Palace waited for a different kind of free-kick.

From there on, it was about game management as United made the most of inevitable Palace tiredness given they had an away game in Europe less than 72 hours earlier.

Ruben Amorim to BBC Match of the Day after Manchester United's victory against Crystal Palace: "It was small details that helped. The pace and intensity was better in the second half. I could see that Palace were getting tired at the end of the first half and knew they would suffer if we scored.

"We went on to control the game well away from our goal and in the opposition half. We controlled the game well but just have to be careful about what we did in the first half."

On how to exploit a team that you expect to fatigue: "It's the runs and you could see it with Joshua Zirkzee and how he connected with the team through the second ball. You have to explain that to the players but we have experience of being like that [tired] from last season when we played midweek."

On whether scoring will boost Joshua Zirkzee's confidence: "Scoring is important but it's not just the goals. They give confidence but Joshua has also improved a lot in how he holds the ball. That should give him a lot of confidence. He influences the game and that's important to our game. He needs to maintain that level in training."

On goals being shared out: "They have the quality and we have more players in the squad who can score. I'm really happy with them. Joshua [Zirkzee] hasn't had many minutes and Mason [Mount] works really hard."

On being tighter at the back today: "We weren't near our own box and in the second half we touched every first ball and then got the second. We took advantage of a tired opponent."

On being in the top six: "In this moment I just want to evaluate our team. We need to evolve and create variety in how we build-up - that's the most important thing."

Bruno Fernandes also spoke to MOTD: "First half we were a bit slow with the ball and played to their strengths. We weren't good with the second balls and they were waiting for that.

"We changed in the second half and became stronger on second balls and stronger on the ball."

On the goals from Mason Mount and Joshua Zirkzee: "They were unbelievable goals. I didn't think Joshua could score from that angle but I know his qualities. We did something exactly the same in training and today he repeated it. I'm very proud of how he finished it.

"Strikers live for goals. Joshua is not that type of player because he likes to build-up, turn and serve his team-mates. But scoring does give a lot of confidence."

Did you know?

Bruno Fernandes provided his 55th and 56th assist for Manchester United in the Premier League, moving him past Paul Scholes (55) and with only Ryan Giggs (162), Wayne Rooney (93), and David Beckham (80) providing more for the Red Devils in the competition than him.

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

Have your say on Crystal Palace's performance

What did you make of Man Utd’s display?

Simon Stone
Chief football news reporter at Selhurst Park

Crystal Palace boss Olivier Glasner makes three changes to the side beaten by Strasbourg in the Conference League on Thursday.

Daichi, Kamada, Adam Wharton and Chris Richards all come in, with Jaydee Canvot, Will Hughes and Jefferson Lerma dropping out.

Palace have an impressive recent record against today's opponents and are looking for their fourth win in five meetings.

Crystal Palace XI: Henderson, Richards, Lacroix, Guehi, Munoz, Wharton, Kamada, Mitchell, Sarr, Mateta, Pino.

Substitutes: Benitez, Nketiah, Uche, Clyne, Lerma, Hughes, Esse, Canvot, Devenny.

Ruben Amorim makes two changes from the Manchester United side beaten at home by 10-man Everton on Monday.

Both his wing-backs drop out, with Mason Mount and Diogo Dalot coming in for Noussair Mazraoui and Patrick Dorgu, with Amad dropping into the right wing-back slot and Mount taking a number 10 role alongside Bryan Mbeumo.

Amorim keeps faith with Joshua Zirkzee as his number nine, while England Under-20 international Shea Lacey keeps his place on the bench.

Manchester United XI: Lammens, Yoro, De Ligt, Shaw, Amad, Bruno Fernandes, Casemiro, Dalot, Mbeumo, Mount, Zirkzee.

Substitutes: Bayindir, Dorgu, Martinez, Mazraoui, Malacia, Ugarte, Heaven, Mainoo, Lacey.

There are five games in the Premier League on Sunday and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.

• Crystal Palace v Manchester United (12:00)

• Aston Villa v Wolves - listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

• Nottingham Forest v Brighton - listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 2

• West Ham v Liverpool - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Chelsea v Arsenal (16:30) - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

Kick-off times 14:05 GMT unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction from the first four games here

And go here for Chelsea v Arsenal

You can also listen to today's 5 Live Premier League commentaries on most smart speakers. Just say "ask BBC Sounds to play Aston Villa v Wolves" or "ask BBC Sounds to play Chelsea v Arsenal", for instance.

Find out more about how to listen to Premier League football on BBC Sounds

I read an article this week which said how Manchester United are either high as a kite or low as a snake's belly - there is never any middle ground where they are just doing all right.

Before the international break, United had gone five games unbeaten and I kept hearing how they are 'back'. Now, after such an awful display against Everton's 10-men on Monday, they are back in trouble.

Both these teams are built around a 3-4-2-1 shape but Crystal Palace's players still seem like a much better fit to their formation.

United have a poor record at Selhurst Park in recent seasons, and have not won there since 2019. I don't see that changing on Sunday.

My only concern about the Eagles is if they pick up any injuries in the Europa Conference League on Thursday, but I am still backing them.

Sutton's prediction: 1-0

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Image source, Getty Images

Former Manchester United striker and manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says the substitute appearance against Bayern Munich in the Champions League final in 1999 "changed my life".

Solskjaer was brought on in the 81st minute when Sir Alex Ferguson's side were 1-0 down and chasing a historic Treble.

The Norwegian went on to score the winning goal in the 93rd minute that completed the feat never achieved before by an English team.

"I was 80 minutes on the bench, really unhappy with the manager - 'why don't you put me on? We're losing the game'. Football's so emotional and it's like you are so low and you want to get on the pitch," Solskjaer told BBC Sport.

"So 80 minutes of real agony but then I managed to play 15 minutes and those 15 minutes I'd really love to play again. It changed history of course, changed my life.

"It didn't make me a better footballer but of course that changed my life - we made history and I was the one that was fortunate enough to score that goal."

Solskjaer garnered a reputation as a "super-sub" during his 11-year spell with the Manchester club.

"I had discussions with Sir Alex, I signed a long long-term contract, so what I did was I put my career in his hands really, and I more or less said to myself 'just do your best'," the 52-year-old explained.

"I've seen so many strikers sulking when they're on the bench and and I felt 'OK, they've played 70-80 minutes, the [opposition] defenders they're tired, I come on, I can make a difference. I'm fresh'. As long as my head is fresh and my mentality is good.

"If we were winning 1-0, I was never going to come on. So I never hoped that we were on 0-0. I was like, 'don't score, don't score until he puts me on'. 1-0 down, yeah, definitely I'm coming on. 2-0 up, yeah, he'll always give me the 15, 20 minutes just to make me feel part of it.

"So he was very good at giving me enough minutes, but I knew at 1-0, 'just sit down, Ole, you're not going to come on'. So 1-0 down against Bayern, I was like 'come on then'. It's 81 minutes I came on, it's one of the best 13-15 minutes of my football career."

Listen to the full interview on BBC Sounds and watch on BBC iPlayer

Tom McCoy
BBC Sport journalist

Crystal Palace, who have kept clean sheets in each of their past three Premier League games, take on a Manchester United side beaten by 10-man Everton on Monday. BBC Sport examines some of the key themes before Sunday's match (12:00 GMT).

Palace hard to score against

There are few sides tougher to break down than Palace right now. Last weekend's 2-0 win at Wolves means Oliver Glasner's team have gone 321 minutes without conceding a Premier League goal.

The Eagles have also shipped just nine goals in their opening 12 league games, their lowest total at this stage of a season for 44 years.

Their total of 20 points, meanwhile, is their highest at this point of a top-flight campaign since 1991-92, when they eventually finished third.

While their points haul has been equally divided between home and away matches, they are particularly hard to beat at Selhurst Park.

Palace have not lost a Premier League match there since losing to Everton in February, a run of 12 games, which is the longest current unbeaten sequence at home in the competition.

United's mini-revival ended

Manchester United made unwanted history against Everton on Monday, losing their first Premier League home match in which the opposition went down to 10 men.

With Benjamin Sesko and Matheus Cunha unavailable through injury, the Reds struggled to break down the Merseysiders. The result ended United's five-game unbeaten run and provided a reality check, according to head coach Ruben Amorim.

"These five weeks, everyone is praising our evolution," Amorim said afterwards.

"But I'm always saying the same things: we are nowhere near the moment we are meant to be in this club."

That is underlined by United's poor record against Crystal Palace and in London in general.

The Red Devils have failed to score in each of their previous four Premier League games against the Eagles and have won just three of their past 26 top-flight matches in the capital (all, incidentally, against Fulham).

Simon Stone
Manchester United reporter

Image source, Getty Images

It was interesting to hear Ruben Amorim reject the theory his Manchester United side play in a similar way to Crystal Palace.

That Palace have done well playing a 3-4-3 formation under Oliver Glasner and United have taken so long to adjust to playing to the same system under Amorim is a stick that has frequently been used to beat United's head coach.

Amorim clearly does not see it in quite such simplistic terms.

"You don't say that all 4-3-3s play in the same way, right? We play the different way. You can understand that by data. We defend in a different space; we try to attack in a different way," the Portuguese said.

I take Amorim at his word on that. He is the man who is watching his own side in training every day and analysing the opposition, even if it looks very similar and the wing-backs are clearly key.

However, there is no disagreement over Amorim's pay-off.

"They are just doing things better than us," he said.

Palace have the FA Cup and a European spot to prove it.

Melissa Edwards
BBC Sport journalist

Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Premier League game against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park (kick-off 12:00 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Matheus Cunha is unavailable this weekend but should return for the following game against West Ham in midweek.

• Elsewhere, Harry Maguire and Benjamin Sesko both need "a little bit more time" with Amorim adding the club are "taking care" of Sesko's injury.

• United have 18 points so far this season but the head coach believes his team are falling short: "If I look at the games we've played, we should have more points. We had control and the advantage in some games and we lost control and that is really disappointing."

• Amorim said it is difficult to narrow down why United have only won one away game in their last 11 league matches, but at the moment his players do not know how to "finish the games in order to win".

• Opponents Palace lost to Strasbourg in the Conference League on Thursday but Amorim does not believe his side have an advantage from playing one game less this week: "I said the same thing last year when we were in Europe and I say the same thing this year: there [is an] advantage and disadvantage of not being in Europe. There are no excuses. We have to always win games."

• On how his side compare to Palace: "They are a different club [to us] and they are doing things better than us so that is quite simple. We play in a different way and they are just doing things better than us. They are doing things really well and they play more in transition than us. We have to look at all of these things when we compare our teams but of course, in every position, we can do so much better."

Follow all of Friday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

You can listen to more from Amorim here

Simon Stone
Manchester United reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Among many statements Ruben Amorim made during the summer about Manchester United was his belief his squad would benefit from having no European football to get in the way of his work on the training ground.

This could only be for one season, he stressed, because United have to be in Europe - but for this campaign it could be employed as a positive.

Well, coming off the back of that awful performance against Everton on Monday, this is precisely the kind of week he meant.

On Sunday, United head to Crystal Palace and everyone recognises Selhurst Park is a tough place to play.

However, Palace played away from home in Europe on Thursday. Yes, it was only France, but still there was travel involved.

Meanwhile, United have been licking their wounds from the Everton debacle and should be fully motivated.

This is the kind of game where Amorim and his players can really make a free week count.

Manchester United have made contact with the representatives of unsettled Vinicius Jr, and neighbours Manchester City are likely to join them if he decides to leave Real Madrid. (The Daily Briefing, via Caught Offside), external

However, the Brazil forward has moved closer to signing a new contract with the La Liga club after reducing his wage demands. The 25-year-old's current deal runs until June 2027. (Mundo Deportivo - in Spanish), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

We asked for your verdict on former Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov on the anniversary of his five-goal performance against Blackburn Rovers 15 years ago.

Here are some of your comments:

Gwyneth: I was there that day. He's always a hero to me!

Mark: Good memories of that season 2010-11 and his first year, especially with the famous assist for Ronaldo against West Ham at home in 2008-09. In the six months up to the start of 2010, he missed key chances in games which ultimately meant Chelsea won the league by one point. It was a mixed bag. Not a flop but certainly not in any legends categories.

Tim: Very underrated goalscorer, clever at finding space - a good signing.

Ciaran: Saw him play in a legends match a couple of years ago. The touch and vision were still there. Spent most of the match watching him. Proper Rolls Royce.

Gareth: Total legend - yes he probably didn't run enough, but what a footballer.

Alex: One of my all time favourite United players. I fondly remember him scoring the only goal during a cold December night at Old Trafford against Middlesbrough on my 18th birthday in 2008. Don't forget his famous spin on the line against West Ham too! A legend in my eyes

Nigel: Great player. Skillful and a matchwinner.

Joe Bradshaw
BBC Sport senior journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Dimitar Berbatov scored 56 goals during four eventful seasons at Manchester United.

That included four hat-tricks, three of which came in the 2010-11 season.

Fifteen years ago today, he bagged five goals in a demolition job on Blackburn Rovers as United stormed to a 7-1 victory at Old Trafford.

In doing so, he became only the fourth player to score five in a Premier League game - and it was all the more remarkable because it came after 10 matches without a goal.

The destruction ultimately ended the tenure of Sam Allardyce as Rovers boss, the firm friend of Sir Alex Ferguson effectively a dead man walking after the defeat before finally receiving his P45 a couple of weeks later.

As for Berbatov, having already scored a hat-trick against Liverpool in September, he bagged another treble against Birmingham City in January 2011 on his way to sharing the Premier League Golden Boot that season.

With former team-mate Carlos Tevez, by this point of Manchester City.

What are your memories of Berbatov?

Was he a hit at Old Trafford, or did he not make the grade for you?

Tell us here

Manchester United are one of the clubs linked with Nottingham Forest and England midfielder Elliot Anderson and the Old Trafford club want to add to their wing-back options as well as bring in a central midfielder. (ESPN), external

However, Forest are determined to hold on to Anderson, 23, and will reject any bids for him during the January transfer window. (Mail), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport