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Manchester United logo
Premier League | Gameweek 3
Aug 24, 2019 at 3pm UK
 
Crystal Palace logo

1-2

James (89')
FT(HT: 0-1)
Ayew (32'), van Aanholt (93')

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer: "We have to learn quickly"

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer:
© Reuters
Patrick Van Aanholt's last-gasp winner earned Crystal Palace a shock win at Old Trafford.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has told his Manchester United team they need to wise up after Crystal Palace snatched a surprise late victory at Old Trafford on Sunday.

Daniel James appeared to have salvaged a point for United with just a minute of regular time remaining, but United could not see the game out and Patrick Van Aanholt earned Palace a first league win at Old Trafford in 30 years as he finished off a swift counter-attack three minutes into time added on.

The late drama came after Marcus Rashford missed a 70th-minute penalty, having taken over spot-kick duties from Paul Pogba, who also missed a penalty in Monday's 1-1 draw at Wolves.

Marcus Rashford missed from the spot for Manchester United
Marcus Rashford missed from the spot for Manchester United (Nigel French/PA).

"We have to learn and we have to learn quickly," said Solskjaer. "From the last two games we should have got six points out of six if you look at the games as a neutral.

"We're two missed penalties away from sitting there smiling, happy with nine points."

United enjoyed more than 70 per cent possession against Palace and had 22 shots at goal, but only James really threatened Vincente Guaita's goal, seeing a first-half shot blocked by Van Aanholt in front of the goalkeeper before bending in his late equaliser.

However, Palace took a 32nd-minute lead with their first chance of the game, a route-one goal as Jeremy Schlupp beat Victor Lindelof to Guaita's long punt forward to leave Jordan Ayew one-on-one with David De Gea.

Manchester United's Ashley Young and Harry Maguire reflect on their defeat
Manchester United's Ashley Young and Harry Maguire reflect on their defeat (Nigel French/PA).

"We didn't have enough urgency and penetration in the first half until they scored," Solskjaer said. "They never looked like creating anything. We felt maybe it was too easy. That's when you need that tempo change.

"I thought we did that in the second half, we were excellent in that respect with more pressure, more chances, more urgency, but of course you've got to hit the target and score the goals when you have those moments."

United's struggles in front of goal raised further questions about the decision to let Romelu Lukaku leave without replacing him.

The 17-year-old Mason Greenwood came off the bench in the second half, but Solskjaer was otherwise short of options.

Alexis Sanchez was not in the matchday squad as he continues to be linked with a move away from the club before the European transfer window closes.

"Alexis is a quality player," Solskjaer said. "We don't have loads of options. If there is an offer that's good enough for the club and him maybe he will go, but if not then he's still our player and he's a quality player.

"He's been training well and there's no doubt about his quality so let's see."

While Solskjaer was left to rue his side's profligacy in front of goal – and pointed to two possible penalty decisions which did not go his side's way – Palace boss Roy Hodgson enjoyed a rare success for the Londoners at Old Trafford.

Crystal Palace celebrate Patrick Van Aanholt's late winner
Crystal Palace celebrate Patrick Van Aanholt's late winner (Nigel French/PA).

"The key was the defensive discipline, the shape of the team, the enormous work-rate and effort," Hodgson said. "We did well to stick to the script at all times.

"We were getting asked a lot of questions which we knew we would. They have a wealth of talent and we knew if we didn't seal the spaces and make certain that when we lost the ball we got back in our shape and only let them have the ball in the less dangerous areas they would score a goal.

"We rode our luck with the penalty a little bit. When they got that penalty I thought, 'This is going to be tricky for us now if they score this'.

"When we got away with that I was rather hoping to see it through 1-0 but we saw it through 2-1 thanks to a good bit of work from Wilfried Zaha and James McCarthy."

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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Manchester CityMan City97202091123
2Liverpool97111751222
3Arsenal95311710718
4Aston Villa95311611518
5Chelsea95221911817
6Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton94411612416
7Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest9441117416
8Tottenham HotspurSpurs94141810813
9Brentford94141818013
10Fulham93331212012
11Bournemouth93331111012
12Newcastle UnitedNewcastle9333910-112
13West Ham UnitedWest Ham93241316-311
14Manchester UnitedMan Utd9324811-311
15Leicester CityLeicester92341317-49
16Everton92341016-69
17Crystal Palace9135611-56
18Ipswich TownIpswich9045920-114
19Wolverhampton WanderersWolves90271225-132
20Southampton9018619-131


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