Eagles have to make do with parity this time as Henderson keeps Man United at bay

Crystal Palace (0) 0

Manchester United (0) 0

It was never likely to come close to repeating that amazing night four months ago when the Eagles ran riot against United. But at least they came away with a respectable draw.

They were very much second best during a first half dominated by the visitors and but for some fine saves from Dean Henderson, would have been staring down the barrel of a defeat. As it was, they gained some measure of equilibrium after the break and grew stronger towards the end, creating a couple of big chances of their own.

Of course that heady 4-0 drubbing of United in May - only the 11th victory ever for Palace over United and the second half of a memorable double - was with Michael Olise in the ranks for Palace, and an abject Casemiro in the ranks for United. But neither were present this time around and United looked far less vulnerable than on that day.

The result leaves Palace still searching for their first Premier League win of the campaign but this was an acceptable result which owed much to a vastly improved second half following a very supine opening 45 minutes.

It needed a fine early save from Henderson to keep it all square - a big stretch to his left needed to keep out an effort from Alejandro Garnacho - who had been released through the inside left channel by Joshua Zirkzee.

Henderson was then involved again - scrambling the ball out with his legs after Matthijs de Ligt had met a corner with a firm back-post header. He was also blocking a Christian Eriksen effort away from the target soon after.

More chances came for United, with Garnacho curling onto the crossbar and Bruno Fernandes clipping the top of the bar on the follow up. A low cross from Fernandes was almost glanced in at the near post by Zirkzee.

The first half was almost done before the Eagles mounted a serious shot at goal - Eberechi Eze sidefooting straight at Andre Onana from Tyrick Mitchell's cut back.

A concerned Oli Glasner made two changes at the break, with Jefferson Lerma and Ismaila Sarr on for Jean-Philippe Mateta and Adam Wharton. But United still looked the better side initially and Fernandes almost found the net after a give-and-go with Zirkzee followed by a stab with the outside of his right boot that drifted inches wide.

It then needed another impressive intervention from Henderson to deny Garnacho - a wicked curling effort from the edge of the area which the England keeper did so well to reach.

At least there was some sign of life at the opposite end and when Eddie Nketiah raced through from a Lerma pass, his low strike was well saved by Onana, who got up off the floor to deny Sarr as the striker tried to profit from the rebound. And they could hardly have come closer when Eze exchanged passes with the impressive Sarr before sliding a great chance wide.

No big drama then. Next up for the Eagles is Everton away followed by Liverpool at Selhurst.

Eagles: (3-4-2-1) Henderson - Lacroix, Guehi, Richards - Munoz, Wharton (Lerma h/t), Kamada, Mitchell - Nketiah (Hughes 66), Eze (Schlupp 90) - Mateta (Sarr h/t)

United: (4-2-3-1) Onana - Mazraoui, de Ligt, Martinez, Dalot - Mainoo, Eriksen (Ugarte 77) - Diallo (Hojlund 77), Fernandes, Garnacho - Zirkzee (Rashford 61)

Attendance: 25,172