Nemanja Matic's moment of magic caps off Manchester United comeback to leave Crystal Palace fearing the worst

Crystal Palace 2 Manchester United 3: The visitors were trailing by two goals but fought back in the second half to secure all three points

Nemanja Matic celebrates his late winner for Manchester United (Getty)

You could tell as soon as the fourth official signalled that there were to be three minutes of additional time, and this increasingly neurotic crowd wailed in unison. Selhurst Park knew. And, as if on cue, up stepped Nemanja Matic to win the game with a stunning half-volley from distance. The goal — Matic’s first in a Manchester United shirt — completed the scratchiest of comebacks, as relegation-threatened Crystal Palace were once again made to rue injury time.

In the end, they simply did not have enough left in the tank to rewrite history. Two up and coasting thanks to goals from Andros Townsend and Patrick van Aanholt, Roy Hodgson’s stubborn refusal to turn to his substitutes bench allowed a curiously out of sorts United a way back into this match, with Chris Smalling, Romelu Lukaku and Matic on hand to deny Palace their first ever Premier League win over United. This could have been the defining result of the fledgling Hodgson era. Now it feels like one of the worst.

Simply put: this is a result that hurts Palace so much more than it helps United. Jose Mourinho’s side jump back above Liverpool into second, just the 16-points behind runaway league leaders City. Meanwhile Palace — who threw away a two-goal lead, three precious points and five league places — remain mired in the relegation zone. Chelsea and Liverpool await.

Andros Townsend gave Palace the lead (Getty)

Agonisingly for the home side, it all started so well. And, comfortable in the knowledge that the odds were so firmly stacked against them, Palace flew out of the blocks. James Tomkins of all people went close with a speculative overhead kick, while Alexander Sorloth left Paul Pogba flat on his arse before the Frenchman had even finished putting his gloves on.

And so there was, remarkably, little surprise when Palace opened the scoring. Christian Benteke ran on to a well-weighted Luka Milivojevic through ball and cut inside, meandering his way to the edge of the box and laying off Townsend. The winger opted for precision rather than power — not that it mattered — with the ball flying into the hapless Victor Lindelof and looping past a stranded David de Gea. It marked the first time Palace had ever taken the lead over United in the Premier League.

From that moment on, Palace would have been forgiven for settling back into the dogged trench warfare tactics that so nearly won them a point against Tottenham. But they pressed on — which was ultimately to prove their undoing. The impressive Sorloth — blonde and baby-faced but blessed with the frame of a moderately successful WWE wrestler — almost made it two. Robbing the ball from a thoroughly-emasculated Matic, he careered into the final third with all the abandon of a fun runner inexplicably finding himself at the front of a marathon, only to screw his shot directly into the midriff of De Gea. He should have done better.

Paul Pogba tussles for possession with Luka Milivojevic (Getty)

It was to be Palace’s best chance for an uncomfortably long spell, as a rattled United began to dominate possession. Lukaku almost lumbered through clear on goal. Jesse Lingard pinged one wide. Wayne Hennessey flapped at a cross, or five. But they lacked dynamism in the final third and could have few complaints for trailing at the break.

At the heart of their troubles was that expensive mess of a midfield. Pogba, all inexplicably heavy touches and imploring looks towards the bench, was abject for the most part. Meanwhile proud Scotsman Scott McTominay shuffled around the place with all the presence of a wizened old family butler, regularly touching the ball but doing precious little with it. He was lucky to escape with a yellow card for a wild lunge on Van Aanholt, and looked crestfallen to receive what can only be described as a royal bollocking from a grim-faced Alexis Sanchez, who was tortuously pulling his shirt up to his armpits as early as the half-hour mark.

Something had to change. Something did: Palace went 2-0 up immediately after Mourinho withdrew McTominany for Marcus Rashford at the break. And what a comical goal for a club of United’s standing to concede.

Chris Smalling rose highest to pull one back for United (Getty)

Benteke was fouled by Matic on the halfway line, with both the Serbian and Antonio Valencia more interested in venting to the referee than paying attention to the wily Jeffrey Schlupp, who snatched at the opportunity to take a quick free-kick. Van Aanholt could barely believe the acres of green in front of him, striding into the box and thumping a no-nonsense shot past De Gea at his near post.

United needed a hero and up stepped Smalling. Just moments after spurning an opportunity to head home an instant reply the defender connected with a long punt forward from Valencia, following another set-piece. Played on by Tomkins, Smalling set his sights properly this time, heading across Hennessey and into the net.

A lesser team would have sunk into their shells, scrambling back behind an increasingly entrenched defence. Palace kept up the pressure, but such adventure presented more chances to United, who went close through the improving Pogba and the substitute Juan Mata. And with Hodgson refusing to make a change, an equaliser seemed inevitable.

Romelu Lukaku hit the equaliser (Getty)

As the seconds ticked down United went even closer. Matic rifled a low shot across the face of goal which — rather bizarrely — centre forward Benteke hacked off the line; then Sanchez’s wild strike careered off Milivojevic and fell in a surreally slow parabola which bounced off the crossbar. Lukaku was to equalise from the rebound. Pouncing upon the ball he feinted one, two, three, four times, each delay from pulling the trigger prompting louder howls from the crowd, before lashing a low finish under the flailing Hennessey.

Two pieces of late United magic — at either end of the match — saw them salvage what had promised to be a dismal night. First the now obligatory piece of De Gea wizardry. Attacking Townsend’s deflected cross, Benteke brushed Lindelof and Smalling out of the way to head the ball towards goal at point blank range, only to be denied by the kind of world-class one handed save that Hennessey is perhaps incapable even of dreaming of.

And then the winning goal, by far the best of the evening. Bringing a horribly deflected Pogba cross under neat control, Matic chanced his arm with one final effort: a dipping half-volley from all of 30-yards. He hit it sweetly, the ball sailing over Palace’s despairing ranks and beyond Hennessey’s despairing lunge.