If I read the phrase: “This is Manchester United football club we’re talking about here” one more time, I’m going to throw my laptop out the window. The media seem to be obsessed with the idea that any time a team such as Manchester United suffer an embarrassment such as last night, it has to solely be down to them.
We saw this also, after beating Liverpool, Newcastle, and West Ham. They all had off days, apparently.
Maybe, just maybe, the common theme here is us playing some really good football?
Of course, United were absolutely abysmal last night, being ripped apart by Palace’s attacking prowess, with some schoolboy defending in the back line all game also.
It would also be fair to say it wasn’t our best performance in comparison to recent victories, however, we still played with absolute dominance throughout.
Oliver Glasner has seemingly transformed this Crystal Palace side in a matter of weeks. He has got previously fringe players such as Will Hughes, Nathaniel Clyne, and most importantly Jean-Phillipe Mateta playing out of their skins in recent weeks, all of whom had been struggling under Hodgson.
Personally, I see that as a massive indicator to a brilliant coach – one who can turn average/below average performing players into crucial starters in the side.
The night couldn’t have started off any better, with a stupendous solo goal in the 12th minute from Michael Olise, who was undoubtably the best player of the evening. After leaving Casemiro for dead in the middle of the park, Olise was allowed all the time in the world to drive forward to the edge of the box and pick his spot to fire a low driven shot
past André Onana.
It felt almost expected to go one up; the bookies had Palace favourites before the game started.
On the 40-minute mark, Jean-Phillipe Mateta surged past 36-year-old Jonny Evans to slot a beautifully struck goal at the near post, continuing
his fine run of goalscoring form – with six goals in a row at home now.
The rampant performance continued in the second half, with Adam Wharton teasing a great ball over to Joachim Andersen on the left-hand side, who teed up defensive partner Tyrick Mitchell for an easy finish from close range at 58 minutes.
Olise rubbed further salt into the wound at 66 minutes, with a brilliantly struck goal to the near post just inside the 18-yard-box.
While United had two goals ruled out for a foul and an offside, it would have made little difference in hindsight.
It still feels surreal to be writing that we have taken 13 points from a possible 15 in our last 5 games, completing our first league double over Man United in the process.
Glasner’s comments after the game are very telling of his character and that we have so much more to expect from this team.
He told Palace TV:
“Congratulations – but always stay humble. We know it is not so long ago where we struggled with relegation, just five points away, but now we've found ourselves and the players have confidence.
We are doing well, but we still have a lot to improve.”
When calls were being made by the majority of the fanbase to replace Hodgson due to a lack of ambition shown through himself and the club, this is exactly what we were asking for.
Going from being told to manage our expectations as a fanbase, to a manager that is coming out of a 4-0 humbling of a ‘top six’ side demanding more from his players, that is something very exciting.
I have never seen Palace play football this way before, and I know fans who have been watching Palace longer than I have saying the same.
There are two games left now (Wolves and Villa) and the prospect of ending the season unbeaten in seven is a real possibility.
Whatever happens in the next two games, we know we will be playing some exciting football, and we can all now start to look to next season with high hopes and optimism.
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