ROJO’S RED MISSED
United star gets away with it AGAIN as Ibrahimovic saves Jose with late winner
MARCOS ROJO was caught up in another redcard storm last night.
Former Premier League referee Howard Webb claimed the Manchester United defender could have been sent off for this X-rated two-footed lunge on Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha. It came just 10 days after Rojo made a similar reckless challenge on Everton’s Idrissa Gueye at Goodison Park which also earned him a yellow card rather than a red. Webb told BT Sport: “When
JOSE MOURINHO will have to change the hard luck story after Manchester United snatched a last-gasp victory.
Fed-up Mourinho claimed United were the unluckiest team in the Premier League but they got away with it at Selhurst Park.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic snatched an 88th-minute winner to leave his boss punching the air in delight after Crystal Palace were left feeling the ones hard done by.
Paul Pogba’s opener in first-half injury time had more than a hint of offside AND handball as referee Craig Pawson made himself public enemy No.1 among Crystal Palace fans.
Pawson then only showed a yellow to United defender Marcos Rojo for an X- rated challenge on Palace winger Wilfried Zaha.
If those decisions went against him, you could bet Mourinho would never let us hear the end of it. But eventually United snatched the three points to put them back in the chase for a top-four place. The Manchester United team bus only arrived an hour before kick-off because of the traffic chaos amid rail strikes in South London.
United have made a habit of arriving late in the capital – having done the same at Tottenham and West Ham last season – but this time it did not appear to affect them.
Mourinho’s men made a solid start, dominating in the opening stages with Wayne Rooney restored to the starting line-up as the United captain goes in search of another milestone.
Old Trafford legend Sir Bobby Charlton watched on from the directors’ box as Rooney is just one short of equalling his club record of 249 goals in all competitions. Rooney looked sharp and lively as he combined with Ibrahimovic to cause Palace’s notoriously leaky defence problems.
Ibrahimovic and Rooney linked up well on the half-hour mark, the England skipper’s return pass going just beyond his United team-mate before Palace keeper Wayne Hennessey made a timely block. Palace looked vulnerable and
Rooney went desperately close to equalling Charlton’s record after 36 minutes but his close-range shot on the turn was brilliantly saved by Hennessey.
Palace had very little to offer in return, their best moments came via Zaha but Alan Pardew’s men stood off and gave United far too much time and space.
Mourinho (right) saw his £89million signing Pogba go close again after 42 minutes when his cross shot was saved by Hennessey as United continued to build momentum.
Finally the breakthrough came in first-half injury time. But it came amid great controversy as Palace were left furious believing the goal was offside and after a handball.
Juan Mata chipped a free-kick into the box, Ibrahimovic tried to chest it down but the ball also hit his hand and then fell to Pogba who also looked offside before he fired home.
Ref Pawson was jeered off at half-time with Palace believing they had been wronged but United certainly deserved to be in the lead. Pardew brought on Joe Ledley for the ineffective Mathieu Flamini at half-time and the switch really helped change the momentum. James McArthur stretched United keeper David De Gea with a stunning save after 63 minutes with a shot destined for the top corner. Pardew was left screaming blue murder when Rojo went straight through the back of Christian Benteke and Palace’s frustrations were boiling over when they finally got their equaliser. Joel Ward began the move down the left, his pass was brilliantly flicked on by centrehalf Damien Delaney and McArthur held his nerve to bury a shot low past De Gea. United went in search of an equaliser and Mata had an effort flagged offside while Rooney was denied by Hennessey’s flying save. But finally United’s rewards came when Pogba’s wonderful through ball released Ibrahimovic who buried a shot into the far corner.