Rashford eyes carrying FA Cup success into Crystal Palace clash
Manchester United and Crystal Palace are set to square off in the Premier League this weekend, with both teams looking to build on their early-season performances.
Key players to watch include Marcus Rashford and Bruno Fernandes for Manchester United, and Jean-Philippe Mateta for Crystal Palace. Rashford and Fernandes remain central to United's attacking efforts, with Rashford's pace creating and finishing scoring opportunities, and Fernandes providing the primary creative force with assists and key passes.
For Crystal Palace, Mateta is a key forward player who will likely lead their attacking line. The Eagles, under Oliver Glasner, have shown resilience and are predicted to finish in the upper half of the table, demonstrating a functional and well-drilled squad.
Match predictions indicate a close and competitive game. Manchester United is expected to be mid-table with a potential bounce-back season but without a revolution, while Crystal Palace is quietly improving to possibly finish above 12th place.
| Team | Key Players | Expectations | Predicted Outcome | |------------------|---------------------------------|--------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------| | Manchester United | Marcus Rashford, Bruno Fernandes | Mid-table improvement from rocky past, key creative and scoring roles | Competitive match, slight uncertainty, no dominance expected[1] | | Crystal Palace | Jean-Philippe Mateta | Functional, well-drilled, growth phase, FA Cup winners | Strong defensive setup, likely competitive[1][3] |
Rashford recently scored his first Premier League goal of the season in United's 3-0 victory at Southampton. He also scored twice in Manchester United's 7-0 EFL Cup victory over Barnsley. United reached the fourth round of the EFL Cup in Ten Hag's first season at the helm.
Crystal Palace, currently 16th in the Premier League table with two points from four matches, have had a challenging start to the season. However, their victory over Manchester United in May was part of a Premier League double by the Eagles, the first time they have ever beaten United in consecutive league matches. Eberechi Eze scored on his return to his former club in Palace's EFL Cup win against Queens Park Rangers.
United have struggled in London under Ten Hag, only winning two of their last 16 away Premier League games in the capital (four draws, 10 defeats). This could provide an opportunity for Crystal Palace to capitalise on their home advantage.
Experts expect the match to be tightly contested given both sides' current trajectories and squad strengths[1][3]. The Opta win probability for Crystal Palace is 35.9%, for Manchester United is 39.1%, and for a draw is 25%.
[1] - BBC Sport [3] - Sky Sports
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