Crystal Palace 1-1 Manchester United: Michael Olise scores late equaliser as United miss chance to g

Publish date: 2023-12-28

Crystal Palace's Michael Olise scored a stunning last-minute free-kick to deny Manchester United a victory that would have taken them second in the Premier League.

United were on course for their 10th successive win after Bruno Fernandes scored just before half-time when he finished well following Christian Eriksen's pull-back.

But Olise struck in dramatic style with a brilliant curling free-kick to ensure a point apiece.

The draw does take the Red Devils above Newcastle into third but keeps them behind rivals Manchester City, who host Tottenham on Thursday.

Palace again show fighting spirit

For Palace it ends a run of three successive defeats in all competitions and Patrick Vieira's side will feel they got a deserved point.

United goalkeeper David de Gea had produced a wonderful save to tip Odsonne Edouard's powerful strike on to the crossbar when it was goalless, two minutes before Fernandes struck.

The visitors claimed for a penalty on 72 minutes when Scott McTominay was challenged by Chris Richards just inside the Palace box, but referee Robert Jones waved play on.

Three minutes later, De Gea was forced into another fine stop, punching away Marc Guehi's header.

The Spaniard was finally beaten in injury time with Olise's brilliant 25-yard free-kick going in off the underside of the crossbar as Palace again showed their fighting spirit.

The Eagles have now secured 13 points from losing positions in the Premier League this season, only Tottenham Hotspur with 14 have recovered more.

"It feels like a win because we are happy with not losing the game," said Vieira.

"It was tough. Important not to concede the second goal and to stay strong in the second half. We built the momentum and belief and we got rewarded with Michael's free-kick.

"We wanted to have the ball and possession but we couldn't because of Manchester United's quality. We showed discipline and not conceding that second goal was important. We believed and then came the free-kick."

Erik ten Hag handed a Manchester United debut to Dutch striker Wout Weghorst following his loan move from Burnley earlier this month, but the closest he came to scoring was when he looped a header on to the roof of the net.

United, who have not won the Premier League since 2012-13, are now eight points behind leaders Arsenal, with the Gunners having a game in hand, and the two teams meet at Emirates Stadium on Sunday.

However, United will be without key defensive midfielder Casemiro as he will be serving a one-game suspension after picking up his fifth booking of the league season following a late challenge on Wilfried Zaha in the 80th minute.

United now with only one loss in 20 matches

The disappointment was clear for Ten Hag, although there will still be plenty of positives to take for the Dutchman.

Ten Hag was in the stands watching at Selhurst Park for United's last game of the 2021-22 season in May when, in Ralf Rangnick's final match as interim manager, the Eagles won 1-0.

That result saw United finish sixth in the Premier League, 35 points behind champions Manchester City, and they only just scraped into the Europa League.

But United have improved vastly since then and, following the 6-3 humiliating defeat at City on 2 October, they have now only lost once in 20 matches in all competitions.

Nevertheless, with the manner of the late equaliser, United's fans, players and coaching staff will be annoyed at letting the win slip away.

"When you're winning with two minutes to go, we dropped two points," said Ten Hag.

"You don't expect to drop points. We have to invest more to get that second goal and then not be in that situation that a lucky moment costs you two points.

"We were 1-0 up. In the second half we had a lot of space to kill them and go for the second. I never saw we really went for the second goal.

"I have to criticise my team. Go for the second."

Player of the match

OliseMichael Olise

with an average of 7.75

Crystal Palace

  • Squad number7Player nameOlise

    Average rating

    7.75

  • Squad number19Player nameHughes

    Average rating

    6.83

  • Squad number6Player nameGuéhi

    Average rating

    6.78

  • Squad number10Player nameEze

    Average rating

    6.75

  • Squad number26Player nameRichards

    Average rating

    6.73

  • Squad number3Player nameMitchell

    Average rating

    6.70

  • Squad number15Player nameSchlupp

    Average rating

    6.52

  • Squad number13Player nameGuaita

    Average rating

    6.51

  • Squad number22Player nameÉdouard

    Average rating

    6.48

  • Squad number17Player nameClyne

    Average rating

    6.42

  • Squad number28Player nameDoucouré

    Average rating

    6.40

  • Squad number11Player nameZaha

    Average rating

    6.40

  • Squad number14Player nameMateta

    Average rating

    6.14

  • Squad number9Player nameJ Ayew

    Average rating

    6.10

  • Squad number4Player nameMilivojevic

    Average rating

    6.06

    • Manchester United

  • Squad number29Player nameWan-BissakaAverage rating

    6.92

  • Squad number1Player namede GeaAverage rating

    6.68

  • Squad number18Player nameCasemiroAverage rating

    6.29

  • Squad number14Player nameEriksenAverage rating

    6.22

  • Squad number19Player nameVaraneAverage rating

    6.03

  • Squad number23Player nameShawAverage rating

    6.01

  • Squad number6Player nameLi MartínezAverage rating

    5.80

  • Squad number8Player nameBruno FernandesAverage rating

    5.58

  • Squad number27Player nameWeghorstAverage rating

    4.98

  • Squad number49Player nameGarnachoAverage rating

    4.90

  • Squad number10Player nameRashfordAverage rating

    4.83

  • Squad number21Player nameAntonyAverage rating

    4.48

  • Squad number17Player nameFredAverage rating

    4.46

  • Squad number39Player nameMcTominayAverage rating

    4.14

    • Line-ups

    Crystal Palace

    Formation 4-2-3-1

    13Guaita

    17Clyne26Richards6Guéhi3Mitchell

    28Doucouré19Hughes

    7Olise22Édouard11Zaha

    14Mateta

    Substitutes

    Man Utd

    Formation 4-2-3-1

    1de Gea

    29Wan-Bissaka19Varane6Li Martínez23Shaw

    18Casemiro14Eriksen

    21Antony8Bruno Fernandes10Rashford

    27Weghorst

    Substitutes

    Referee:Robert Jones

    Attendance:23,343

    Match Stats

    Live Text

  • Match ends, Crystal Palace 1, Manchester United 1.

  • Second Half ends, Crystal Palace 1, Manchester United 1.

  • Attempt saved. Alejandro Garnacho (Manchester United) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Marcus Rashford.

  • Attempt missed. Casemiro (Manchester United) left footed shot from very close range misses to the left. Assisted by Bruno Fernandes with a cross following a corner.

  • Corner, Manchester United. Conceded by Luka Milivojevic.

  • Goal! Crystal Palace 1, Manchester United 1. Michael Olise (Crystal Palace) from a free kick with a left footed shot to the top right corner.

  • Foul by Luke Shaw (Manchester United).

  • Jeffrey Schlupp (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

  • Attempt missed. Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Marc Guéhi.

  • Substitution, Crystal Palace. Luka Milivojevic replaces Will Hughes.

  • Substitution, Manchester United. Fred replaces Christian Eriksen.

  • Attempt saved. Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.

  • Casemiro (Manchester United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

  • Foul by Casemiro (Manchester United).

  • Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

  • Christian Eriksen (Manchester United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  • Foul by Jeffrey Schlupp (Crystal Palace).

  • Foul by Casemiro (Manchester United).

  • Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  • Will Hughes (Crystal Palace) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

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