Manchester United survived a half-time deficit and their Selhurst Park demons to return to the Premier League’s top six with a 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace.
Anthony Martial was among the goal scorers the last time United won at this stadium in July 2020, and they hadn’t scored here since Bruno Fernandes’ effort in January 2023.
Palace led at the end of a dominant first half thanks to Jean-Philippe Mateta’s two penalties.
The visiting fans mocked renowned striker Eric Cantona, whose most notorious moment occurred at this stadium in 1995 and resulted in a nine-month ban from sport and a prison term that was quickly reversed.
Joshua Zirkzee, who had been heavily criticized, repaid Amorim’s faith in starting him again after a disappointing performance in the defeat to 10-man Everton by leveling with a powerful drive from an acute angle nine minutes into the second period.
Then Mason Mount drove Fernandes’ short pass from a free kick on the edge of Palace’s box low into the corner, beyond Dean Henderson’s reach.
The result broke United’s three-game losing streak and prevented Palace from capturing the reward of a top-four spot, which victory would have provided.
At the start of this season, the Premier League added a new rule that allows a player to retake a penalty if he kicks it twice before it enters the net.
When Mateta sent Senne Lammens the wrong way for what he thought was his seventh successful penalty from seven attempts nine minutes before halftime, VAR Matt Donohue quickly informed referee Rob Jones that he needed to intervene.
It was the first time the rule had been utilized, and judging by how some Manchester United players grumbled and the visitor fans rejoiced and then sighed as Jones revealed what had happened and what the outcome would be, many onlookers had missed the rule change.
Mateta did not appear disturbed. He put the ball in the opposite corner as Lammens continued to go the wrong way.
After being defeated by a squad down to ten men because a player hit a teammate against Everton in their last game, Amorim’s team would have lost in an unusual manner.
