Manchester United -v- Crystal Palace
Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne, Australia
Tuesday 19 July 2022, KO 11:10 BST
Manchester United will face Premier League club Crystal Palace in their third pre-season match of the summer at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Tuesday. United have already faced both Liverpool, winning 4-0 and Melbourne Victory, winning 4-1 so far this summer.
Erik ten Hag will go head to head with Patrick Vieira’s side, who got the better of United in the final match of last season, winning 1-0 at Selhurst Park. United won 1-0 earlier in the season at Old Trafford. This summer, despite results being largely positive, a new style of play has started.
United have been pressing clubs high, which cost them in their last match with Melbourne Victory, conceding an early goal after United’s defence were caught out at the halfway line. United eventually got back into the game, taking the lead before half time.
Both Scott McTominay and Anthony Martial scored in the first half with Marcus Rashford getting on the scoresheet in the second half before Tahith Chong forced an own goal. United will be confident ahead of this match and will fly to Perth afterwards where they face Aston Villa.
Manchester United Pre-Season Squad
Goalkeepers: David De Gea, Tom Heaton, Nathan Bishop, Matej Kovar
Defenders: Victor Lindelof, Eric Bailly, Harry Maguire, Tyrell Malacia, Raphael Varane, Diogo Dalot, Luke Shaw, Alex Telles, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Axel Tuanzebe, Will Fish, Ethan Laird
Midfielders: Bruno Fernandes, Amad Diallo, Fred, Facundo Pellistri, Donny van de Beek, James Garner, Scott McTominay, Hannibal Mejbri, Charlie Savage, Zidane Iqbal
Forwards: Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, Anthony Elanga, Tahith Chong, Alejandro Garnacho
Crystal Palace Pre-Season Squad
Goalkeepers: Jack Butland, Vicente Guaita, Remi Matthews
Defenders: Joel Ward, Tyrick Mitchell, Joachim Andersen, Nathaniel Clyne, Tayo Adaramola, Dan Quick, Cardo Siddik, Jake O’Brien, Kaden Rodney
Midfielders: Luka Milivojevic, Malcolm Ebiowei, Scott Banks, Malachi Boateng, Jesurun Rak-Sakyi, Killian Phillips, Jadan Raymond, David Ozoh
Forwards: Jordan Ayew, Jean-Philippe Mateta, Odsonne Edouard, Victor Akinwale, Ademola Ola-Adebomi, Rob Street
Manchester United Manager: Erik ten Hag
The Dutch manager is at his fifth club of his management career having previously managed the Go Ahead Eagles, Bayern Munich II, Utrecht and Ajax before United. He started management in 2012 at Go Ahead Eagles managing 39 matches; winning 18, drawing 11 and losing 12 – winning 46.2%.
He was at Bayern Munich II from 2013 until 2015 where he managed 72 matches; winning 48, drawing 10 and losing 14 – winning 66.7%. He managed Utrecht from 2015 until 2017 where he managed 111 matches; winning 56, drawing 26 and losing 29 – winning 50.5%.
Moving to Ajax in 2017 until 2022, Ten Hag managed 215 matches; winning 158, drawing 28 and losing 29 – winning 73.5%. In total, Ten Hag has managed 437 matches; winning 280, drawing 75 and losing 82 – winning 64.1%. In theory, Ten Hag’s arrival at United is similar to Klopp’s at Liverpool.
During his management career, Ten Hag has won seven trophies – including one Regionalliga Bayern, three Eredivisie titles, two KNVB Cups and one Johan Cruyff Shield. It is hoped that he could resurrect United during his time at the club but he has a lot of work ahead of him to do that.
Crystal Palace Manager: Patrick Vieira
The Senegalese manager is at his third club of his management career – fourth if you include the fact that he managed Manchester City’s EDS jut after he retired as a player. In first team football, Vieira has managed New York City FC, OGC Nice and Crystal Palace.
Whilst working in the MLS and managing New York City, Vieira managed 90 matches; winning 40, drawing 22 and losing 28 – winning 44%. He managed in the MLS from January 2016 until June 2018 when he became the manager for French Ligue 1 side Nice.
At Nice, starting in June 2018 until December 2020, Vieira, 46, managed 89 matches; winning 35, drawing 22 and losing 32 – winning 39%. On leaving the club, he sat out management for seven months before replacing Roy Hodgson at Crystal Palace.
Starting at the Premier League club in July 2021, Vieira has a positive first season in the English top-flight. He has managed 44 matches to far; winning 15, drawing 15 and losing 14 – winning 34%. In total, Vieira has managed 223 matches; winning 90, drawing 59 and losing 74 – winning 40%.
Predicted Manchester United Starting XI – 4-2-3-1
De Gea;
Dalot, Bailly, Maguire, Shaw;
Garner, Fred;
Sancho, Fernandes, Rashford;
Martial
Predicted Crystal Palace Starting XI – 4-3-3
Guaita;
Clyne, Andersen, Ward, Mitchell;
Rak-Sakyi, Milivojevic, Phillips;
Ayew, Mateta, Edouard
Manchester United Pre-Season Statistics
Goals: 2 – Anthony Martial, 1 – Fred, Own Goal, Scott McTominay, Facundo Pellistri, Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho
Assists: 1 – Eric Bailly, Amad Diallo, Anthony Elanga
Match Prediction
United will be seeking to get another good result in this match and start to perfect the playing style that Ten Hag will be seeking to implement at the club. This weekend has seen Christian Eriksen sign for the club and a deal to sign Lisandro Martinez announced.
The midfield could be the problem ahead of the new season, especially with the clubs pursuit of Frenkie de Jong not bearing any fruit at this time but United seem to be happy to wait until next month after the player flew to the USA on pre-season tour.
Whilst United would like to get revenge over Palace after losing in the final match of the Premier League season, the result it not the reason pre-season matches are played. Ten Hag is implementing his playing style and United need to perfect it. Doing that is imperative this summer.
The Dutch manager is also running his eye over his squad to see who will benefit his playing style, who will be the weak links and who could be sold by the club by the end of the summer transfer window as United are carrying a few players out of their depth.
Manchester United 4-1 Crystal Palace
Written by John Walker
