Benjamin Sesko scored his seventh goal in his past eight appearances as Manchester United overcame a spirited Crystal Palace side, securing a 2-1 victory at Vintage Trafford on Sunday. The result lifts United into third place in the Premier League, surpassing Aston Villa who lost to Wolves on Friday.
Palace took an early lead in the fourth minute when Maxence Lacroix headed Brennan Johnson’s corner past the United goalkeeper. However, the game shifted dramatically ten minutes into the second half when Lacroix was shown a red card following a VAR review for a foul on Matheus Cunha inside the penalty area.
The dismissal proved decisive. Bruno Fernandes converted the resulting penalty, leveling the score and igniting a comeback for Michael Carrick’s side. Fernandes later remarked that his former teammate, Dean Henderson, had attempted to anticipate his penalty direction, mirroring a tactic Henderson had successfully employed the previous week even as playing for Wolves.
Sesko then completed the turnaround in the 65th minute, heading home a cross from Fernandes. The goal marked Sesko’s fourth in five games and continued a remarkable run of form for the Slovenian forward since joining the club.
Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner expressed his frustration with the penalty decision, suggesting the “Old Trafford bounce” may have influenced the referee’s judgment, arguing the initial contact occurred outside the penalty area. Glasner also felt the red card was harsh, stating the foul began outside the box.
The victory represents a sixth win in seven matches under Carrick, solidifying his position as manager and bolstering United’s Champions League qualification hopes. Palace, meanwhile, remain in the bottom half of the table, despite a promising start to the match.
The game also featured a banner displayed in the Stretford End reading: “MUFC proudly colonised by immigrants,” a message that appeared shortly after co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe issued a half-hearted apology for comments suggesting the UK had been overrun by immigrants.
