Date: Sunday 2nd February, 2025
Time: 3:00 pm
Stadium Old Trafford
Referee John Brooks (England)
Goal Scorer:
Team News
Manchester United
Ruben Amorim does not have any new injury concerns hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture. The Manchester United manager will be bereft of the services of two first-team players on Sunday.
Luke Shaw continues to make progress after resuming training earlier this week. However, Sunday’s game should have come too soon for the English international. Meanwhile, Jonny Evans (muscle) and Mason Mount (hamstring) remain on the sidelines.
Andre Onana should replace Altay Bayindir between the sticks, with Manchester United lining up in a 3-4-2-1 formation in front of him vs Crystal Palace on Sunday. The central defensive unit should feature Matthijs de Ligt, Harry Maguire, and Lisandro Martinez. Diogo Dalot and Noussair Mazraoui will likely start as the two wing-backs.
As for the midfield unit, Bruno Fernandes should reprise a deeper role alongside Manuel Ugarte, with Kobbie Mainoo playing in a more advanced position again. Finally, Rasmus Hojlund will spearhead the Manchester United attack against Crystal Palace, with Amad Diallo picking himself in the offensive trifecta.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Onana; De Ligt, Maguire, Martinez; Dalot, Ugarte, Bruno Fernandes, Mazraoui; Amad, Mainoo; Hojlund
Crystal Palace
Unlike his counterpart in the Manchester United dugout, Oliver Glasner greeted a mixed bag of updates on the team news front ahead of the trip to Old Trafford. The Crystal Palace manager will be without four first-team players on Sunday.
Eberechi Eze is the latest absentee, with Glasner revealing his team’s star playmaker is recovering from a foot issue. The English international accompanies Chadi Riad (knee), Joel Ward (calf), and Cheick Doucoure (knee) on the sidelines. However, Adam Wharton (groin) and Matheus Franca (groin) should return to the matchday squads.
Dean Henderson is an automatic pick between the sticks, with Crystal Palace lining up in a 3-4-2-1 formation in front of him vs Manchester United on Sunday. The central defensive unit should feature Chris Richards, Maxence Lacroix, and Marc Guehi. Daniel Munoz and Tyrick Mitchell will start as the two wing-backs.
The duo will provide width in the final third while protecting the centre-backs during the defensive phases. As for the midfield unit, there is no looking past Will Hughes and Jefferson Lerma until Wharton is fully fit. Finally, Jean-Phillipe Mateta will lead the line for Crystal Palace against Manchester United, with Romain Esse and Ismaila Sarr being the two central playmakers.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Henderson; Richards, Lacroix, Guehi; Munoz, Hughes, Lerma, Mitchell; Esse, Sarr; Mateta
Prediction: Manchester United 1-0 Crystal Palace
