Ten Hag: “We Ate Crystal Palace Alive” in Frustrating Goalless Draw
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag expressed his frustration after his side missed numerous big chances in a 0-0 draw against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park in the Premier League.
Coming off a dominant 7-0 EFL Cup win over Barnsley, United started strongly, cutting through Palace’s defense in a commanding first half. Alejandro Garnacho, returning to the starting XI, had an early shot tipped around the post, while Matthijs de Ligt and Lisandro Martinez were both denied by Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson.
United piled on the pressure, with Garnacho hitting the bar after being set up down the left. The rebound fell to Bruno Fernandes, who saw his effort bounce off the turf and clip the top of the bar.
“We should have won. In the first half, we ate them alive,” Ten Hag told Sky Sports.
“The second half was more balanced, but in the first half, we should have scored one or two goals. We need to be more clinical in the box where the game is always decided.”
Missed Opportunities
Crystal Palace grew into the game, with Eberechi Eze coming close when unmarked on the penalty spot, but his shot went straight into Andre Onana’s hands. The second half saw more even play, with Fernandes curling a shot wide and Garnacho having another effort saved.
Palace had their best chance of the match when Eze missed the target from 12 yards out. Meanwhile, the video assistant referee cleared Martinez of a second-half challenge, ruling no contact was made with Daichi Kamada.
Despite United’s 66.8% possession, their highest in an away game since April 2023, the team was unable to convert chances into goals. Martinez and Garnacho will regret hitting the woodwork, while Bruno Fernandes had opportunities but failed to score.
United have the second-highest xG (expected goals) in the Premier League with 9.53, but have only managed to score five goals so far this season. Only Southampton, who sit 18th, have underperformed their xG more.
Rasmus Hojlund Returns
A positive for United was the return of Rasmus Hojlund, who made his season debut after coming off the bench in the second half. The 21-year-old Denmark striker adds more attacking options alongside Joshua Zirkzee, who was well defended by Crystal Palace.
Crystal Palace’s Struggles
Crystal Palace struggled in the first half, often camped deep in their own half. They were reliant on Dean Henderson, who made several key saves to deny Martinez and De Ligt. However, Palace improved as the game progressed, with Eze missing two clear chances, one in each half.
Sarr also had a golden opportunity but failed to capitalize after Onana’s parry. Despite their struggles, Palace can take heart from three consecutive draws and their progression in the EFL Cup, especially after losing Michael Olise to Bayern Munich and Joachim Andersen to Fulham.
Speaking to BBC Match of the Day, Oliver Glasner admitted:
“Dean Henderson kept us alive. We played without courage in the first half, very passive, but the second half was much better. We could’ve won the game, but honestly, it was a bit too much today.”
