Manchester United face Crystal Palace on Sunday at midday, and Ruben Amorim needs a result after the shocking defeat to Everton on Monday night.
It has been a long week thinking over the terrible 1-0 defeat Manchester United suffered on Monday night against Everton.
The result was bad, but the performance was worse, with United losing to a 10-man Everton side, an absolutely horrendous outcome on a day that the Red Devils could have pushed up the table and made a statement.
Ruben Amorim will be desperate to put this behind him and get a first win in three games on a trip to Selhurst Park this weekend.
But ahead of the game, Amorim has some big questions to answer.
Photo by Poppy Townson – MUFC/Manchester United via Getty ImagesHow Manchester United could line up against Crystal Palace
Amorim quite simply cannot afford defeat in this game, as it would be four without a win, completely offsetting the impressive October, which gave fans false hope.
Do you agree with the United In Focus writer predictions for Man Utd vs Palace? Let us know yours…
Adnan Riaz: “2-1 to United, we must win this match and send a statement of intent 🔥”
Dale O’Donnell: “2-1 to United, Ruben Amorim needs a response from his players 💪”
Dan Coombs: “1-1 draw, United to take the lead and then blow it 😞”
Jonny Maze: “3-2 to United, the players should be raring to get back on track 👏”
Sean Fisher: “1-1 draw, the recent record vs Palace is not a pretty sight 😮”
Vatsal Gupta: “2-1 to United, Palace will be tired from midweek 😴”
Photo by Charlotte Wilson/Offside/Offside via Getty Images
- What do you think the score will be?
United will be without Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko, along with Harry Maguire, who remains out injured.
But there is still a strong team to choose from for Amorim. Here is how we predict United will line up.
Senne Lammens: In goal, there is no longer any debate over who starts, and Lammens will once again be number one for United against Palace.
Leny Yoro: Maguire’s injury means Yoro is going to start more likely than not. However, he will need to improve on his performance against Everton to retain his place against West Ham.
Matthijs de Ligt: Arguably United’s first name on the team sheet this season is De Ligt, and he starts in the middle of the back three again here.
Lisandro Martinez: After making the bench against Everton, the Argentine is ready to play against Palace. If starting, Martinez could have a massive impact on United and is a big upgrade on Luke Shaw.
Do you want to see Lisandro Martinez make his return against the team he got injured against? 💔
Lisandro Martinez suffered an ACL injury against Crystal Palace when the teams last met in early February.
Now he could make an emotional return to action against the same opponent… 🙏
Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images
Amad: This week has seen Amorim reveal he wants another Amad on the left, which suggests that the Ivorian is number one on the right. United need to make the most of having him before AFCON.
Casemiro: After a poor performance against Everton, Casemiro needs to be better than he was at Selhurst Park in 2024. Due to starting against Palace, he likely drops to the bench against West Ham.
Bruno Fernandes: The captain was also frustrating on Monday, and we would ideally want him in the number 10, but there is little chance of this happening and so Fernandes starts in midfield.
Diogo Dalot: After Patrick Dorgu was poor against Everton, Dalot is our pick to come back into the line-up. The left-wing-back is a hot potato at the moment, and Amorim needs someone to step up and nail it down.
Bryan Mbeumo: Moving into the attack and Mbeumo is a sure starter for one of the last times before he leaves for AFCON. Hopefully, he can add a few goals before that happens.
How should Manchester United line-up against Crystal Palace? 🤔
Agree with our predicted XI? Let us know in the comments!
Manchester United predicted XI vs Crystal Palace made with GRV Media line-up tool.
Mason Mount: On the left, with Cunha out until the West Ham game, Mount should come in after he had a positive influence on the team against Everton after his introduction.
Joshua Zirkzee: Leading the line, ideally, would be Chido Obi, but with no sign of him in first-team training, it is probably another chance for Zirkzee to impress after a poor showing vs Everton.