UNITED BACK IN CRISIS
Boos ring out as Andersen stunner hands United worst start for 34 years
JUST when Manchester United thought a dismal, desperate start to the season was disappearing in their rear-view mirror, Crystal Palace dragged Erik ten Hag and his players back into crisis in the teeming rain at Old Trafford.
A stunning volley from Joachim Andersen separated the two teams, underlining the difference between the scratch Palace side United beat in the Carabao Cup here just four days earlier and the one that inflicted another damaging defeat on Ten Hag.
That’s five in nine games for United this season, and four in seven in the Premier League. You have to go back 34 years for the last time United started a league campaign with a record like that. The dark days of 1989 when that ‘Ta Ra Fergie’ banner appeared in the Stretford End in December. Palace beat United that day too.
We haven’t reached those depths yet but, make no mistake, these are troubled times for Ten Hag. It will only get worse if he doesn’t draw some kind of response from his players in the next two games before the international break against Galatasaray and Brentford.
True, the Dutchman has been handicapped by a crippling injury list since early summer, and distracted by the off-the-field issues involving Antony and Jadon Sancho, but that is no excuse after spending £400million on new players since he was appointed.
Having lost just twice at Old Trafford in all competitions last season, United have now been beaten on two occasions at home before the first leaves have fallen to the floor.
The boos at the final whistle told their own story from fans who came here expecting so much more following successive wins over Burnley and Palace in the cup.
But United were insipid in the first half before rousing themselves after the interval. They couldn’t find a way through and Palace deserve huge credit for that, Marc Guehi and Andersen returning to the line-up to lead a magnificent defensive effort.
So too does Roy Hodgson. He has become only the second manager after Pep Guardiola to win three Premier League games in a row at Old Trafford following his successes with Palace in September 2020 and August 2019.
But United really should be so much better than this. They lacked the ideas and ingenuity to open up Palace.
The great United teams found a way to get the job done in circumstances like this but, let’s face it, this bunch are well short of a great United team.
By the end, Ten Hag turned to the bench and his wild cards were Harry Maguire and Donny van de Beek, two players he has made it quite clear that he doesn’t really want.
Perhaps more worrying for United fans was the lack of impact from their impact players. Alejandro Garnacho made a difference when he came on after an hour for Facundo Pellistri, who had a disappointing Premier League debut, but what about the others?
Mason Mount didn’t do nearly enough before he was hooked in the 77th minute after heading wide from point-blank range. Last season’s top scorer Marcus Rashford only has one goal so far this season and is struggling to gel with new signing Rasmus Hojlund. Too often at the moment, Rashford chooses the wrong option.
‘I think he knows he can do better and I am sure it will come,’ said Ten Hag.
‘He works hard and that is what he is doing. He will net and it will come but it is not going to be automatic. The team has to invest a lot around him. Today the decision making was not good enough.’
Hojlund has also only scored once this season and squandered his two chances here. The first came after Rashford swung a first-time pass into his path in the 12th minute.
Hojlund managed to nick the ball over Guehi and then goalkeeper Sam Johnstone, but Tyrick Mitchell got back to clear before it crossed the line. Then, in the second half, Hojlund headed straight at Johnstone from Bruno Fernandes’ cross.
Who would have guessed it would be his fellow Dane Andersen who would claim the winner, and what a goal it was too.
United had already rode their luck from one free kick after Guehi headed inches wide from Andersen’s early cross, but they didn’t get away with it a second time in the 25th minute.
This time Sofyan Amrabat gave away a cheap foul when he bundled over Jordan Ayew on the right touchline with the Palace No9 facing away from goal.
Eberechi Eze whipped in a free kick and it took the faintest of touches off Hojlund as he tried to head clear. The ball bounced through to
Andersen who was only being loosely marked by Victor Lindelof and didn’t hesitate.
The defender swung his right boot at it first time and connected perfectly, sending the ball flying past Andre Onana and into the top corner. It was a quite stunning strike.
Casemiro, a defensive midfielder with four goals to his name already this season, led the fightback with several effort either side of halftime.
Amrabat clipped the top of the goal frame from 20 yards, Garnacho got in behind and almost forced
Andersen to score in his own goal, and Diogo Dalot’s deflected cross was cleared from under the crossbar in the dying seconds.
But it wasn’t to be and perhaps the most damning thing you can say about United is that these results are no longer a big surprise.