Manchester United Bounces Back to Crush Crystal Palace
Last Monday, the Red Devils staged a classic comeback in London, turning a shaky start into a 3‑2 triumph over Crystal Palace. Manager Jose Mourinho couldn’t help but grin, calling the full‑time drama “amazing” even after conceding what he described as a “disgraceful, childish” second goal.
From Chaos to Control
- United trailed early but found rhythm, with Nemanja Matić sealing the win in added time.
- After a frantic first half, they were down 2-0 thanks to Andros Townsend and Patrick van Aanholt.
- Chris Smalling and Romelu Lukaku responded, with Lukaku netting his 99th Premier League goal.
Mourinho reflected:
“I don’t like my teams to lose their organization like we did, but it was an amazing match and a very important win for us.”
He praised Smalling’s goal in particular: “After that goal I realised we could still win.”
Palace’s Early Gunfire
Roy Hodgson’s side started strong. A quick free‑kick from Jeffrey Schlupp set up van Aanholt, who doubled the lead just three minutes into the second half.
Mourinho wasn’t shy about his frustration:
“If we hadn’t conceded that second goal and had come straight from the dressing room to change the result, I would say I did something good at halftime.”
He continued, “It was a disgraceful, childish goal – places you can find so many adjectives for that moment.”
Hodgson’s Own View
Even with the loss, Hodgson admitted Palace had a solid game plan:
“Roy had an amazing strategy, really aggressive. Sometimes the winner deserves the applause, but I believe I did many things right on our side too.”
Table Impact
- United moved back into second place.
- Palace slipped into the relegation zone, mirroring last month’s 1‑0 defeat to Tottenham.
Hodgson summed up the frustration: “It’s been a Groundhog Day moment. We’ve lost points again, and like the game against Tottenham, I felt we deserved better.”
He added: “If we had drawn this game, I doubt anyone—including Jose—would have called it a scandal.”
Final Thoughts
In the end, the Red Devils turned a disorganized start into a victory that kept them chasing the title, while Palace’s defeat was a stark reminder of the thin line between glory and relegation. Both managers walked away with lessons learned – and a few more points to fight over next season.
