Premier League Roundup: Manchester United drops two more points in draw against Crystal Palace

Manchester United lose more ground to their city rivals in their quest to challenge for the title this season with Nemanja Matic’s 12th-minute effort providing their only shot on target in a limp 0-0 draw at Crystal Palace.

It was the seventh time United will drop points in their last 10 Premier League games and they actually never put up any real fight to earn three points in south London against Crystal Palace.

Palace got close to a shock win twice during the game for a team who also mustered only six shots in their previous two games.

Matic’s early piledriver was the only real threat United posed to the Palace’s backline and was made to worry when Andros Townsend’s volley flew just past Dean Henderson’s far post after half-time.

Luke Shaw and Mason Greenwood both missed opportunities to win it for United late on as did Crystal Palace’s defender Patrick Van Aanholt.

United title challenge might be as good as over having only managed a point against Palace as they travel to leaders City next this weekend.

Watch the highlights of the match below

Stats and facts from the match (Backed by Opta)

• Manchester United registered their sixth goalless Premier League draw of the season, their joint-most ever in a season, along with 2004-05 and 2016-17.
• Crystal Palace have drawn back-to-back Premier League games goalless for the first time since December 2017.
• Manchester United have drawn three consecutive matches 0-0 in all competitions for the first time since October 2015 under Louis van Gaal, with the third game in that run a goalless draw at Selhurst Park against Crystal Palace.
• Manchester United are the fifth top-flight team to remain unbeaten in their first 14 away top-flight matches in a season (W8 D6), after Leeds United in 1973-74, Liverpool in 1987-88 and Arsenal in both 2001-02 and 2003-04.
• This was Bruno Fernandes’ 21st away Premier League match, with the Portuguese international yet to taste defeat – only Gabriel Jesus (26) and Jens Lehmann (23) have had a longer unbeaten start in away games in Premier League history.
• Crystal Palace had more shots in tonight’s match (8) than they managed in their previous two Premier League games against Brighton and Fulham combined (6).