Manchester United vs Crystal Palace LIVE: Premier League result, final score and reaction today
Follow all the fallout from United’s 1-0 win over Palace at Old Trafford
The Ralf Rangnick era is under way and has an unlikely first hero, though perhaps a fitting one too. If this interim interregnum is all about taking players who appeared broken under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and repairing, repurposing and restoring them, then who better to get things going than Fred?
The much-maligned Manchester United midfielder was injuring his own goalkeeper on this ground only three days ago. Now, on the occasion of Rangnick’s first game in temporary charge, he was a match-winner, serenaded to a Joy Division tune by those still sat in the Stretford End while doing his post-match media duties. David de Gea’s ankles aren’t the only thing he is tearing apart now.
You can add a stubborn though largely second-best Crystal Palace to that list. Patrick Vieira’s side held out for 77 minutes only to be defeated by Fred’s uncharacteristically spectacular strike from range. This could all have taken on a very complexion if Jordan Ayew had converted one of this game’s few genuine chances just minutes earlier but, even so, it was a win that United just about deserved. Full report by Mark Critchley here.
Follow all the fallout from the game, the first look at United under Rangnick.
Man Utd 0 - 0 Crystal Palace
59 mins: Bruno Fernandes knocks a short corner to Rashford before receiving the ball back and laying it off to Sancho. He curls a cross to the back post but there are no United runners there and the ball skips behind for a goal kick.
Man Utd 0 - 0 Crystal Palace
56 mins: Ayew’s in the wars again as Fred hacks him down just outside United’s box this time. Gallagher the free kick deep into the box where Kouyate wins a free header and fires it just over the goal. He appeals to the referee that there was a touch from De Gea and is rewarded with a corner.
Man Utd 0 - 0 Crystal Palace
54 mins: Palace are temporarily down to 10-men as Christian Benteke gets a bit of treatment after taking a knock. Jordan Ayew looks to hold up the ball on the right wing for Palace and does well to draw a foul from Alex Telles.
Man Utd 0 - 0 Crystal Palace
51 mins: Close! Fernandes flicks a cross into the penalty area from the right side and looks to pick out Ronaldo. Guaita makes an early decision to claim the ball and he leaps in front of the Manchester United forward and punches it clear of Palace’s box.
Man Utd 0 - 0 Crystal Palace
48 mins: Man Utd work the ball slickly across the final third and pick out Fernandes on the edge of the box. He shimmies away from Gallagher and shoots but the ball is always rising and goes over the top!
Second half: Man Utd 0 - 0 Crystal Palace
Kick off: The visitors get the match back underway at Old Trafford. There hasn’t been any changes at the break, Palace knock the ball back to Guaita who is pressed by Rashford and forced into booting the ball up the pitch where Fred brings it under control for Man Utd.
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The TV interview that put Ralf Rangnick on the path to managing Manchester United
It was on the last Saturday before Christmas back in 1998 that a late-night TV interview is said to have changed the course of German football and the modern game with it.
It most certainly changed the course of Ralf Rangnick’s career, propelling him on the long road that would eventually lead to Old Trafford.
Conducting the interview was Michael Steinbrecher, a presenter on the late-night ZDF Sportstudio, which first aired in 1963 to coincide with the opening day of the inaugural Bundesliga season.
But during his 21 years co-hosting the programme, the intention was to be more than a mere highlights show.
The TV interview that put Ralf Rangnick on the path to Manchester United
In 1998, Rangnick was invited onto TV to explain his tactics to a wider audience. What happened next changed the direction of German football and the modern game, writes Mark Critchley
Elsewhere in the Premier League
There are two other Premier League games taking place right now with the home teams leading in both of them. A glorious strike from Lucas Moura has given Tottenham a 1-0 lead over Norwich and Tyler Roberts has scored against Brentford for Leeds. That game is also 1-0 at half-time.
Half-time: Man Utd 0 - 0 Crystal Palace
45+1 mins: No they can’t. Diogo Dalot does well on the right wing as he brings the ball down and weaves away from two Palace defenders. He plays a one-two with McTominay to get into the box and the belts a left-footed strike wide of the far post.
It’s been a better performance from Manchester United who have threatened the goal a few times already. Palace have held firm though and they head into half-time on level terms.
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