Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored an 88th-minute winner as Manchester United recorded a 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace in Wednesday night's incident-filled Premier League clash at Selhurst Park.
James McArthur cancelled out a Paul Pogba strike to leave the two teams level entering the final stages, but Ibrahimovic netted two minutes from time to make it back-to-back league wins for the Red Devils, who remain six points behind fourth-placed Manchester City in the league table.
Palace boss Alan Pardew made three changes to his team from the 3-3 draw with Hull City at the weekend - Yohan Cabaye, Mathieu Flamini and Lee Chung-Yong replacing Joe Ledley, Andros Townsend and Jason Puncheon.
As for Man United, their team showed four changes from the 1-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday afternoon, with Eric Bailly, Daley Blind, Juan Mata and Wayne Rooney all coming into the XI.
The visitors dominated the early possession at Selhurst Park and had a half-chance in the fifth minute when Mata delivered a smart cross onto the head of Rooney, but the captain's effort was just over Wayne Hennessey's crossbar.
Indeed, Palace hardly put two passes together in the early exchanges as Man United, who also came close in the 12th minute courtesy of a long-range Pogba effort, continued to probe, while Marcos Rojo and Phil Jones were comfortable dealing with the long balls that arrived towards the head of Christian Benteke.
Man United continued to create half-chances as the match gathered pace and a better ball from Bailly, who had overlapped down the right, in the 24th minute would have given Rooney the chance to net from inside the Palace box.
Another opportunity arrived in the 30th minute when Rooney found space inside the Palace box and looked to slip a cute pass into Ibrahimovic, but Hennessey was out to collect at the vital moment. Ibrahimovic then had a long-range strike deflected wide of the post as it remained goalless approaching the end of the first period.
Rooney had a chance to send Man United ahead in the 38th minute when Pogba picked out the Englishman with a chipped pass, but Hennessey was on hand to make a smart save and the Palace goalkeeper made an even better stop in the 43rd minute when he kept out a Pogba volley, which had arrived from a Michael Carrick pass.
The Red Devils did take the lead in the second minute of stoppage time at the end of the first period, however, when Pogba finished into the corner from close range after Ibrahimovic had found the Frenchman inside the Palace box.
There was a hint of controversy about the goal though, with Ibrahimovic's chest down from a Mata free kick involving a handball shout, while Pogba was also perhaps just offside. Palace were also aggrieved about a late Rojo challenge in the first period, which brought just a yellow card despite the Argentine tackling with two feet.
Ledley was introduced for the home side at the interval and came close to levelling inside the first 60 seconds of the second period when he struck one from outside the Man United box, but the ball just flew wide of the post.
Man United's first change also arrived early in the second half as Bailly pulled up with a knee problem, which led to Matteo Darmian entering the field and immediately slotting into the right-back position for Mourinho's side.
Under the lights at Selhurst Park, the home supporters were full of noise in the early stages of the contest, but the atmosphere continued to suffer in the second period as Man United dominated possession for long spells, which led to frustration in the stands.
Ibrahimovic struck a free kick wide of the post just before the hour, before Man United goalkeeper David de Gea had to make a stunning save to keep out a long-range McArthur effort as Palace finally tested the Spaniard.
The home side found their equaliser in the 66th minute of action when Joel Ward danced past a couple of challenges before finding Damien Delaney and the centre-back's flick released McArthur, who placed the ball past De Gea.
Man United had a strong penalty shout 20 minutes from time when Ledley handled inside the Palace box, but the referee was not interested, and the visitors then had a Mata goal chalked off for offside, despite replays showing that the Spaniard was clearly onside when Rojo made the initial header.
Mourinho's side continued to force the issue and Rojo headed just wide of the Palace post from a Rooney corner 12 minutes from time, before Hennessey got down to keep out Jesse Lingard following a pass from Ibrahimovic.
Man United kept pressing, however, and found a winner two minutes from time when Pogba turned away from Cabaye before delivering a super pass into Ibrahimovic, who found the bottom corner from a narrow angle to break the home side's hearts.
Next up for Mourinho's side is a trip to in-form West Bromwich Albion on Saturday afternoon, while Palace will welcome the leaders Chelsea as Pardew looks to move away from the bottom three.
Matt Law
