Joshua Zirkzee and Mason Mount scored in the second half to steer Manchester United to a 2-1 comeback victory over Crystal Palace in the Premier League, ending a brief slump following Monday’s home defeat to 10-man Everton.
Palace took the lead in the 36th minute when Jean-Philippe Mateta converted a retaken penalty after his first attempt struck the ball twice, putting United on the back foot and threatening to extend their woes under Ruben Amorim.
United struck back after the break, with Zirkzee opening his season account and scoring his first league goal since December with a precise low finish in the 54th minute. Mount then curled in a superb strike nine minutes later to complete the turnaround.
After a brief Palace response, United held on to claim their fourth win in seven matches, climbing into the Premier League’s top half and just four points behind local rivals Manchester City.
Amorim tweaked his 3-4-2-1 formation after the Everton defeat, switching the full-backs, and his side started brightly at Selhurst Park. Casemiro tested Dean Henderson within the opening minute, but the goalkeeper produced a close-range save.
Mateta continued to trouble United’s defence, with a shot narrowly missing after Matthijs de Ligt’s clearance hit teammate Leny Yoro. However, United’s resilience and second-half quality ultimately turned the game in their favour.
