Manchester United could not carry on their winning ways after victories against Southampton and the 7-0 thrashing of Barnsley following the international break. The Red Devils were held to a 0-0 draw by Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park, with both sides having golden chances to walk away with all three points.
Erik ten Hag’s side dominated the first 45 minutes and went close a couple of times. They hit the bar twice in a matter of seconds, with Alejandro Garnacho rattling the woodwork and Bruno Fernandes following suit from the rebound. Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson, who is a graduate of United’s academy, was superb throughout.
Palace went close at the end of the first half through Eberechi Eze, but his shot was straight at goalkeeper Andre Onana. The England international also missed a golden chance towards the end of the second period, but could not put the finishing touches on a superb move from Palace.
Ten Hag and his squad will no doubt be frustrated to drop two important points on the road. Although Selhurst Park is not an easy place to go, they had chances to win the game. There were some disappointing performances throughout, and striker Joshua Zirkzee struggled for service.
Zirkzee’s stats vs. Palace
It was certainly a frustrating outing from United’s number 11, who has not found the back of the net since a debut goal against Fulham on the opening day of the Premier League season. Saturday night’s performance was just as frustrating for the Dutchman.
It was a game where the 23-year-old simply got no service, and although he dropped deep to link up play fairly well, he was essentially feeding off scraps in front of goal. That is certainly reflected in his stats from the game.
According to Sofascore, the former Bayern Munich attacker had 23 touches and managed just one shot, from which he did not find the target, with an expected goals total of 0.10xG. He did, however, create two chances during the game.
It was a sentiment shared by The Manchester Evening News journalist Samuel Luckhurst. He gave Zirkzee a post-match rating of 6/10, explaining his overall play was “decent”, although he looked “blunt again”.
It was Zirkzee who was ultimately the first to be withdrawn on the hour mark, but his captain, Fernandes, did not have his best game either and was perhaps fortunate not to be replaced himself.
Fernandes’ stats vs. Palace
So often the man to dig the Red Devils out of a hole, their talisman Fernandes could not make the difference in South London. He did not play with his usual spark and was at times wasteful in the final third.
Ten Hag’s skipper is so often the man to drive his side forward, but on Saturday evening, he could not quite make the difference. His lack of decisive influence on the game was showcased in his post-match stats.
Despite having 112 touches, the Portugal international created just two chances against the Eagles. He lost the ball an incredible 34 times, completing 60 out of 83 passes, at a 72% pass accuracy. He was impressive off the ball, however, winning seven from nine duels and four from four tackles.
Stat
Number
Touches
112
Passes completed
60/83
Pass accuracy
72%
Number of times possession lost
34
Ground duels won
7/9
Tackles won
4/4
Chances created
2
The United skipper received an even lower rating than Zirkzee from Luckhurst, who graded his performance a 4/10. The journalist explained that, in a game where United’s attacks were well-structured, ‘Fernandes’s wastefulness jarred with their approach’.
It will not be a game the 30-year-old will look back on with fond memories. Whilst the Red Devils cannot expect to rely on him every week, Fernandes will no doubt be frustrated with his contribution and look to better himself next time out against FC Twente in the Europa League.
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