Manchester United host Crystal Palace in the 3rd round of the Carabao Cup at Old Trafford where the Red Devils begin their defence of the trophy won by Erik ten Hag in his first season at the club. Read on for Last Word on Football’s predictions for Manchester United vs Crystal Palace and the best odds for the match.
Manchester United vs Crystal Palace Predictions and Best Odds as Major Premier League Sides Enter Competition
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Manchester United Run of Form
A 1-0 victory at Burnley put a halt to a run of three consecutive defeats for Manchester United. The three points will be a welcome relief after a tight game decided by a fantastic volley from Bruno Fernandes. Jonny Evans provided the assist the the Portuguese captain with a pinpoint long range pass over their opponents defence.
We may only be six games into the Premier League season, but it seems unlikely this squad will have the capabilities to compete for the title. The cup competitions, much like last season, may be an opportunity for the side to pick up silverware. There are still several injury concerns for the manager to contend with, but facing Premier League opposition should prompt the Dutch manager to field as strong a side as possible.
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United have generally been willing to concede possession in their fixtures thus far but they will expect to dominate the ball when facing Crystal Palace at Old Trafford.
The balance in midfield has come under scrutiny in recent weeks so fans will hope Casemiro will improve his form. He may however be rested as Sofyan Amrabat is available and made a late appearance from the bench at the weekend.
It is still four defeats from six in all competitions for Manchester United so a victory here and against the same opposition in the Premier League at the weekend is a minimum requirement.
Crystal Palace Run of Form
Roy Hodgson and Crystal Palace have had a solid start to the season, with two wins, two draws and two losses. The Eagles sit just one place and one point behind Manchester United in the table after a 0-0 draw with Fulham at Selhurst Park at the weekend. They have goalkeeper Sam Johnstone to thank, with the 30-year-old at his best to keep the scores level despite Fulham’s early dominance.
The club’s only two defeats thus far were against Arsenal and Aston Villa and based on performances, there should be no relegation concerns this season. Since the appointment of Hodgson in March of this year, Crystal Palace have been hard to beat. However, concerns over the lack of goal scoring options and available playmakers have been noted.
One positive for fans early in the season has been the impressive form of Odsonne Edouard, who has scored four league goals in six games and may finally be the focal point the Eagles have been in desperate need of. As a unit, this is a team with excellent work rate and an ability to play in transition and use momentum to swing the game in the favour.
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Recent Head-to-Head
Fernandes and Marcus Rashford were the goalscorers in the sides’ most recent meeting in February at Old Trafford as the home side ran out 2-1 winners. Casemiro saw red while Jeffrey Schlupp netted for the away side. Michael Olise scored a world-class free-kick for Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park in January to secure a 1-1 draw in the other Premier League meeting.
The previous three meetings preceding this threw up 1-0 home victories for either side and a 0-0 draw in March 2021.
Manchester United vs Crystal Palace Prediction
Cup games are notoriously difficult to pick a winner from until the starting line-ups are announced. There are two sides here who will be aiming for cup runs and judging by recent form, there is very little to separate them.
This tie could be tight and cagey and it would not be a surprise if extra time or penalties were required. Home advantage could make the difference here, so Manchester United should progress to the fourth round.
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Manchester United vs Crystal Palace Best Odds:
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