Joshua Zirkzee and Mason Mount netted second-half goals to propel Manchester United to a crucial 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace in the Premier League, helping the team regain momentum.
Criticism of Ruben Amorim quickly resurfaced after United suffered a disappointing defeat to 10-man Everton on Monday, halting a promising five-match unbeaten streak.
When Jean-Philippe Mateta opened the scoring in the 36th minute with a penalty after a retake due to a double touch, Palace boss Oliver Glasner appeared poised to deepen United’s woes.
Yet, Zirkzee turned the tide with a well-placed strike just nine minutes into the second half, marking his first league goal since December, followed by Mount’s curled effort that sealed the comeback.
Following an initial response from Palace, United managed to secure their victory, marking four wins in their last seven matches and inching closer to the top half of the table, just four points behind rivals Manchester City.
After the setback against Everton, Amorim opted to adjust the full-backs in his criticized 3-4-2-1 formation for the game at Selhurst Park.
United made a strong start against a similarly set-up Palace side, with Casemiro nearly scoring within the first minute, but Dean Henderson denied him with a crucial save.
Mateta quickly began to threaten United’s defense, sending a shot wide after a deflection from teammate Leny Yoro
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Adam Wharton, one of three players recalled after Thursday’s defeat to Strasbourg, had earlier tested Senne Lammens with a half-volley before Palace intensified their efforts.
After Daichi Kamada failed to convert a weak chance, United were reliant on Yoro’s excellent block to deny the dynamic Yéremy Pino.
The relentless Palace pressure led to a penalty when Wharton executed a brilliant pass to Mateta, who was fouled by Yoro, prompting referee Rob Jones to award the spot-kick.
Despite having missed a penalty earlier this month, Mateta converted, but celebrations were muted when VAR revealed he had touched the ball twice during the initial attempt, necessitating a retake.
After a brief pause, Mateta successfully converted the penalty again in the 36th minute, but two remarkable last-ditch blocks from Luke Shaw on his 300th appearance for United prevented additional Palace goals from Pino and Eddie Nketiah.
Buoyed by Amorim’s half-time instructions, United quickly leveled the match in the 54th minute.
Bruno Fernandes’ free kick found Zirkzee, who skillfully maneuvered away from Kamada before firing a powerful shot from a tight angle past the former United keeper, Henderson.
This goal ended Zirkzee’s 25-match league drought, although he narrowly avoided an own goal shortly after when substitute Noussair Mazraoui crashed a clearance off him.
United completed their comeback in the 63rd minute, with Fernandes’s quick-thinking setting up Mount to curl the ball around the wall, catching Henderson off guard.
Tempers flared on the Palace sideline as Glasner protested, but after Nketiah headed wide soon after and Justin Devenny hit a stoppage-time free kick into the wall, Amorim’s team rightfully clinched their win, leading to jubilant celebrations at the final whistle.