Manchester United closed the gap to the Premier League’s top four to a single point after overturning a half-time deficit and beating Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.
United trailed at the break after Jean-Philippe Mateta converted a penalty that he was forced to retake. VAR ruled his first effort invalid due to an accidental double touch, but the rule change introduced this season allowed him a second attempt, which he dispatched.
Ruben Amorim’s side responded sharply after the interval. Joshua Zirkzee equalised with his first league goal since last December, controlling a Bruno Fernandes free-kick on his chest before drilling past Dean Henderson. It ended a run of 25 Premier League games without scoring for the Dutch forward.
United completed the comeback through substitute Mason Mount. Another set-piece routine created the opening, with Fernandes rolling a short free-kick into Mount’s path. His low strike skidded through the Palace wall and beat Henderson at his near post.
The win moves United into sixth, one point behind fourth-placed Sunderland and narrowly ahead of Palace, who sit seventh.
The opening 25 minutes produced chances for both sides. United nearly struck early when a long throw caused panic, only for Casemiro to be denied by a sharp Henderson save. Palace then enjoyed a strong spell, with Adam Wharton, Mateta and Daichi Kamada all missing opportunities before Mateta eventually broke the deadlock from the spot.
Mateta’s penalty provided another example of the new double-touch rule, which has already surfaced abroad, most notably in the Euro 2025 final when England’s Beth Mead was made to retake a kick for the same offence.
