Crystal Palace vs Manchester United. Premier League.
Selhurst ParkAttendance23,343.
Match report and highlights as Crystal Palace claim a 1-1 draw with Man Utd thanks to Michael Olise's brilliant free-kick in stoppage time; Erik ten Hag's side had led through Bruno Fernandes' first-half strike; Casemiro booking rules him out of Arsenal fixture
Thursday 19 January 2023 08:24, UK
Michael Olise's sensational stoppage-time free-kick rescued a 1-1 draw for Crystal Palace against Manchester United as Erik ten Hag's side missed the chance to go second in the Premier League.
United appeared to be heading for a sixth consecutive Premier League win thanks to Bruno Fernandes' goal before half-time, but Olise salvaged a point in dramatic style, his curling set-piece crashing in off the underside of the bar in the 91st minute.
David de Gea had kept Palace at bay before that, the United goalkeeper making outstanding saves from Odsonne Edouard and Marc Guehi, but he couldn't do anything about Olise's stunning effort as United spurned the opportunity to close the gap to Arsenal to six points.
For United, the result was compounded by a booking for Casemiro, his fifth of the season, which means the key midfielder will be suspended for Sunday's crucial showdown with Arsenal, live on Sky Sports.
The draw keeps United in third, denting their title hopes and leaving them eight points behind Arsenal, but it comes as a major boost to 12th-placed Palace, who had lost five of their previous six games in all competitions.
A day on from Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the billionaire owner of chemical group INEOS, entering the bidding to buy the club, United hoped to show why they are becoming an increasingly-attractive proposition on the pitch as well as off it.
But they had to work for their chances from the start at Selhurst Park, with Palace defending stubbornly against a side seeking a 10th consecutive win in all competitions.
Luke Shaw, back at left-back with Lisandro Martinez returning in central defence, was first to go close, firing wide from an angle, with Antony then looping another effort past the same post.
Wout Weghorst, making his debut up front following his arrival on loan from Burnley, headed a half-chance narrowly over and Marcus Rashford fired wide from a free-kick, but United were indebted to De Gea for keeping it level when he brilliantly tipped Edouard's shot onto the top of the bar.
Up at the other end, their breakthrough arrived less than four minutes after those heroics, Fernandes escaping the attention of Cheick Doucoure after Eriksen had breezed through Palace's defence, then thumping home the Dane's cut-back.
The timing was a blow to Palace, coming so close to half-time, and even more so given United had won all 10 of the previous games under Ten Hag in which they had scored first, but they continued to defend well after the break and improved offensively too.
United remained a threat on the break, with Rashford and Antony firing over, but Palace soon started ramping up the pressure, with De Gea forced into a reflex save from Guehi following a corner.
United thought they should have had a penalty after substitute Scott McTominay went down after a through-ball from Fernandes following a challenge by Chris Richards, but a VAR check upheld the referee's decision to wave away their appeals.
Casemiro had shone once again up until his booking for a rash foul on Wilfried Zaha ruined his night. Things then went from bad to worse for United when Palace scored their stunning leveller.
That wasn't the end of the action, however, with Casemiro failing to convert from close-range and United then needing Aaron Wan-Bissaka to make a brilliant last-ditch tackle to prevent Wilfried Zaha from scoring a Palace winner.
Sky Sports' Jamie Redknapp said: "From Man Utd's point of view, it couldn't have gone any worse.
"We spoke before the game about Casemiro. Don't get booked. Don't get into any confrontations. It was so important because they need him on Sunday.
"When he got booked in the 80th minute, it was like the steam was completely taken out of Manchester United. It affected them so much. They knew that their most important player, in that defensive role, was missing.
"It was a moment of madness. You could see Casemiro was furious with Bruno Fernandes, who jumped out of a challenge. That's why he ends up one-on-one with Zaha and he gets booked.
"It could have been a red card. It's a scandalous challenge. It's reckless.
"I could just see Mikel Arteta when that happened dancing around his living room because he is so important to Man Utd. They have got no one who can do what he does in the team.
"I think he's one of the most important players in the Premier League. They are going to miss him so much. It's big news for Arsenal."
Asked if Ten Hag should have taken Casemiro off, Redknapp added: "I was thinking they'd had a result. It had gone so well for them.
With around 10 minutes to go it they were winning 1-0, Casemiro had been hardly troubled, and within a minute he's booked.
"As a manager you have to take a chance with certain players because you'd be kicking yourself if you'd have taken him off and it led to something.
"It was a tricky situation. You were damned if you do and damned if you don't. They kept him on and Palace still scored.
"It's pure instinct and it has cost them so dearly. Palace grabbed an equaliser and also United don't have their most important player to face the league leaders."
Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag to Sky Sports: "I think we controlled the game and scored a good goal. I wouldn't say a top, top performance but it was OK.
"We had control of the game. We had to invest more in the second. At 2-0 it would be over.
"If you concede a goal one or two minutes before it's difficult to react although we had a chance with Casemiro.
"We have to take the lesson and invest more for the second goal."
On Casemiro's booking: "I think it's instinctive. He missed the ball. It's quite clear it have been a dangerous situation. He wanted to stop it and that was his reaction.
"The last time we beat Arsenal without Casemiro so this time we need to do the same."
On Wout Weghorst: "I think he did quite well. He has to make adjustments to our game. He doesn't know our way of play. He only had a short briefing and last training, no games, a couple of days."
On the winning run ending: "It happened. You can't change it. We're looking forward. Look to Arsenal and make a proper plan. The players have to make sure they're ready. It's fantastic to play such games."
Crystal Palace boss Patrick Vieira to Sky Sports: "I think we deserved the point. Really challenging against a really good side. We found it difficult to close them down but we managed to stay in the game.
"In the last 15 minutes we put pressure on them. Michael scored that free-kick. It was tough, we worked hard and we got rewarded.
"I saw organisation, really good team spirit, communication. We kept our discipline and that helped us stay in the game.
"We had that Wilfried run at the end. If it was a different player [than Wan-Bissaka] he wouldn't catch him.
"That was a tough game against a good side. We needed luck to stay in the game, but we provoked that luck.
"The process takes time. People are waiting for us to win games because of our talent. But the talent isn't enough. The process allows us to be competitive.
"The team will still have to grow, to believe. It was important not to lose today."
Man Utd's next outing is a vital Premier League fixture away at Arsenal on Sunday, live on Sky Sports - kick-off 4.30pm.
Meanwhile, Crystal Palace's next game is a Premier League match at Selhurst Park against Newcastle on Saturday, live on Sky Sports - kick-off 5.30pm.
