Man United vs Crystal Palace: Closing in on the Top 3

Manchester United is in impressive form and aims to extend its unbeaten run to 11 Premier League matches when hosting Crystal Palace at Old Trafford. In six matches under their new manager, the Red Devils are undefeated with five wins and one draw. This includes victories over three "Big Six" members: Man City, Arsenal, and Tottenham. The upcoming match against the lower-rated Crystal Palace could be a test of whether Carrick has truly transformed the team.

However, United leads Chelsea, the team directly behind them, by only three points. This means a stumble against Crystal Palace could see them knocked out of the Top 4.

On many occasions, United has entered matches brimming with confidence and possessing all the factors for an advantage. Yet, during play, the players have often disappointed their fans. The question is whether Carrick, after taking the hot seat, can change this recurring pattern. This is a crucial question that could shape the future of both Carrick and United itself.

The Red Devils are the only Premier League team unbeaten since Boxing Day, amassing 22 points, the highest tally in the league in this period. Notably, 16 of those points have come since Michael Carrick replaced Ruben Amorim as manager.

Carrick has won five of his six Premier League games since returning to the helm, including victories in the last four home matches. In the previous round, United secured a 1-0 away win against Everton at Hill Dickinson. This marks United's longest unbeaten streak of 10 matches since the 2021 period under manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. It was also their first away clean sheet since March 2025.

United's attack is currently in its most prolific form in years. Carrick now has a forward line in excellent shape, featuring players like Benjamin Sesko, Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, and Amad Diallo, all fiercely competing for the three starting spots.

Among them, Slovenian striker Sesko has been explosive, scoring five Premier League goals since Ruben Amorim's departure, despite mostly appearing as a substitute. He averages a goal every 46 minutes and 34 seconds.

This healthy competition not only boosts individual performance but also provides the United coaching staff with maximum tactical flexibility.

Carrick is turning that squad diversity into a sharp tactical weapon. Having players with different styles allows United to switch formations and match approaches flexibly, creating an element of surprise in their gameplay.

United's opponent in this round, Palace, is also showing significant signs of improved form. They have won two of their last three matches and advanced to the UEFA Conference League round of 16.

In the last Premier League round, Palace defeated Wolves 1-0 thanks to a 90th-minute goal by Evann Guessand. Prior to that, Oliver Glasner's team had gone nine matches with only three points. That poor run saw them fall from 4th to 15th place. However, they climbed to 13th after the Wolves win and gained positive momentum from defeating Zrinjski Mostar to progress in Europe.

Notably, Palace has won on their last two visits to Old Trafford. A victory in this match would see them achieve three consecutive away wins against United, a feat only Chelsea has managed in the past. However, Crystal Palace faces a major challenge on this trip due to fitness issues. The team just exerted significant effort in their Conference League play-off second leg against Zrinjski. Manager Glasner has only two days to recover his players' fitness and prepare tactics to counter an in-form United.

In the reverse Premier League fixture this season, United secured all three points at Crystal Palace's Selhurst Park with an impressive second-half comeback to win 2-1. Given their current form, United holds the advantage. However, Palace has shown they are not easy to defeat, especially when traveling to Old Trafford.

The match between Manchester United and Crystal Palace will kick off at 21:00 on March 1st.

Predicted starting lineups for both teams

Manchester United: Lammens, Shaw, Yoro, Maguire, Dalot, Mainoo, Casemiro, Cunha, Fernandes, Diallo, Sesko.

Crystal Palace: Henderson, Richards, Lacroix, Canvot, Munoz, Hughes, Wharton, Mitchell, Sarr, Pino, Larsen.