MARVEL MATIC
Last-gasp rocket steals the points
NEMANJA MATIC’S injury-time screamer sealed Manchester United’s second-half fightback as Crystal Palace blew their chance to move out of the relegation zone last night.
Roy Hodgson’s side led 2-0 thanks to fine strikes from Andros Townsend and Patrick van Aanholt. However, Chris Smalling’s header gave the visitors hope before Romelu Lukaku levelled matters with 14 minutes left.
Matic then sealed United’s comeback and all three points with a dipping strike from 25 yards — his first goal for United.
CRYSTAL PALACE players slumped to the ground as if they had lost a cup final. In many ways, they had. Nemanja Matic’s scorching half-volley from the edge of the area had ripped away the lonely point they had hoped to salvage, and in stoppage time, too.
Two-nil down, 3-2 up. Manchester United fans had forgotten days like this existed, it had been so long since they came from behind when losing at half-time. They used to be famous for it. Lately they have become infamous for meek surrenders. The title is gone, but this may be a watershed victory under Jose Mourinho.
As for Romelu Lukaku, nobody was complaining about him scoring against the little teams last night, except perhaps Roy Hodgson. Even without the match-winning third, his 76thminute equaliser would have spared Manchester United the embarrassment of recording their poorest league sequence away from Old Trafford since January 1996, and once again denied Crystal Palace their just deserts against a member of the elite.
The Matic shot was a thunderbolt, but what went before was sloppy from Palace, two goals that illustrated why they are in such a parlous position in the first place.
Lukaku levelled but it was a Chris Smalling header that got United back in the game, taking advantage of a sleepy James Tomkins, who stayed deep and played him and Paul Pogba, onside.
Time seemed to stand still for the equaliser, too, after an Alexis Sanchez shot had ricocheted up off Tomkins. It fell to Lukaku, who seemed to have an age to turn and beat Hennessey with a low shot, Palace sluggish in their reaction. In that moment, Palace fell five places and back into the relegation zone.
Sluggishness is most certainly not a fault of United goalkeeper David de Gea who, moments later, pulled off one of the saves of the season to keep out a Christian Benteke header.
Where they might be without the brilliant De Gea is the question on everyone’s lips.
The introduction of Marcus Rashford for Scott McTominay at half-time, and Jose Mourinho’s return to the dugout several minutes before his team re-entered the pitch, was perhaps evidence of his dissatisfaction.
McTominay’s last meaningful act had been a terribly timed tackle on Patrick van Aanholt that earned a yellow card. It wasn’t that he intended to foul. He was in a good position with plenty of time, but he sloppily missed the ball and took the man instead. Mourinho has been very supportive but maybe on this occasion he had seen enough.
Hodgson, meanwhile, must have been delighted with how determined Crystal Palace were in the opening stages. Their first goal had a large element of good fortune, but their work-rate meant few could deny them the justice of their lead.
They were ahead on 11 minutes, through a spawny deflection, but no little graft.
Christian Benteke did magnificently, holding the ball up and leading Chris Smalling a merry dance along the edge of the penalty area, before releasing a square pass to Andros Townsend. He pulled the trigger and the ball struck Victor Lindelof on the back, sending it into the top corner, out of the reach of De Gea.
There were few clear-cut chances in the half after that. Townsend had another shot from 25 yards but it flew over — and it was not until the second half that Palace threatened again, goal number two showing the difference in alertness between the teams.
Jerffrey Schlupp won a free-kick, put it down, and took it, slipping the ball through to Patrick Van Aanholt. At this moment, United’s players were variously regrouping, disengaged or appealing in vain for some imagined infringement Schlupp had committed: a speedof-thought offence, perhaps.
Van Aanholt was now in on goal with only De Gea to beat and so expert was his finish that the goalkeeper stood, feet planted, not even diving to try to save.
Mourinho cursed furiously from the touchline. Whether at the advantage played, or the advantage taken of his slumbering superstars, it was hard to say. CRYSTAL PALACE (4-4-2): Hennessey 6; Wan-Bissaka 7.5, Kelly 6.5, Tomkins 6.5, Van Aanholt 7; Townsend 7, Milivojevic 6.5, McArthur 7, Schlupp 6.5 (Riedewald 80min); Benteke 7, Sorloth 6.5. Subs not used: Cavalieri, Lee, Souare, Delaney, Rakip, Jach. Scorers: Townsend 11, Van Aanholt 48. Booked: Townsend. Manager: Roy Hodgson 7. MANCHESTER UNITED (4-3-2-1): De Gea 6.5; Valencia 6.5 (Shaw 67, 6.5), SMALLING 8, Lindelof 6.5, Young 6 (Mata 67, 6.5); McTominay 5 (Rashford 46, 7), Matic 7.5, Pogba 6.5; Lingard 6, Sanchez 7; Lukaku 7. Subs not used: Pereira, Bailly, Carrick, Darmian. Scorers: Smalling 55, Lukaku 76, Matic 90+1. Booked: McTominay, Young, Matic. Manager: Jose Mourinho 6. Referee: Neil Swarbrick 6.5.