Crystal Palace 1-1 Man Utd: Stoppage-time Olise stunner puts brakes on United’s Premier League title charge

Crystal Palace 1-1 Man Utd (Olise 90+1 | Fernandes 43′)

SELHURST PARK — A stunning free-kick from Michael Olise in the first minute of added time denied Manchester United the victory that would have lifted them up to second place in the Premier League.

Before Olise struck, Bruno Fernandes’s first half goal appeared to have set United on course for a tenth successive win in all competitions ahead of Sunday’s meeting with leaders Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium. Instead, they will head to north London having dropped two valuable points and without Casemiro who collected the booking that means he will be suspended for the clash.

United paid the price for failing to add to their lead, leaving themselves vulnerable to a superb, dipping free-kick from Olise that flew in off the underside of the bar.

Their early superiority was clear and, apart from a brief early spell, they dominated long periods of the first half although they were helped in part by the fact Palace were clearly lacking in confidence after losing five of their previous six games.

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Erik ten Hag’s side were able to make significant headway down both flanks and came close to taking a 15th minute lead when right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka got forward to deliver a cross that drifted through to fellow full-back Luke Shaw. Shaw quickly fired in a shot that flashed beyond keeper Vicente Guaita before drifting wide of the far post.

Yet for all their possession, United struggled to make clear chances and the crossed words between Bruno and Antony was a sign of growing frustration.

Wout Weghorst, making his debut following his loan move from Burnley, came close to opening the scoring when he directed a looping header onto the roof of the net from Shaw’s cross and a Marcus Rashford free-kick flew wide.

And Palace almost made the visitors pay for their failure to stamp their authority on the game when Odsonne Edouard turned and shot from the edge of the box four minutes before the interval. The Palace striker forced David De Gea into an acrobatic save that diverted the ball against the bar.

United, though, responded quickly to ensure they reached the interval ahead.

Crystal Palace (4-2-3-1): Guaita 6; Clyne 6, Guehi 6, Richards 6, Clyne 6; Hughes 6 (Milivojevic 84, 6), Doucoure 6 (Schlupp 71, 6); Olise 7, Edouard 6 (Ayew 71, 6), Zaha 6; Mateta 5 (Eze 56, 6).

Manchester United (4-2-3-1): De Gea 6; Wan-Bissaka 6, Varane 6, Martinez 6, Shaw 6; Casemiro 6, Eriksen 8 (Fred 83, 6); Antony 6 (Garnacho 69, 6), Fernandes 7, Rashford 6; Weghorst 7(McTominay 69, 6)

A well-worked move, this time down the left saw Rashford and Christian Eriksen exchange passes before the Denmark international cut the ball back for Fernades who directed a well-placed shot past Guaita from 12 yards out.

The goal was no more than Ten Hag’s side deserved and, when the game restarted, appeared to have further sapped Palace’s dwindling belief.

There was no lack of effort from Patrick Vieira’s side as they attempted to work their way back into the game at the start of the second half. But for all their determined approach work, their lack of cutting edge of all too evident.

A Zaha cross unsettled the visitors’ defence before substitute Eberechi Eze fired wide. But United were able to control the game without over-exerting themselves.

The twist came at the end when Fred and Shaw brought down Jeff Schlupp and Olise made the visitors pay a heavy price.