October 2 2017

Damien Delaney

Another afternoon in the North West, another bag of goals conceded without reply. Mike Scott looks at the Crystal Palace performances…

The records keep coming for Palace, with the 4-0 defeat to Manchester United seeing them equal Portsmouth’s record of seven consecutive defeats at the start of a Premier League season, which they set back in 2009/10. Pompey finished bottom that season. Were there signs that Palace won’t suffer the same fate?

Wayne Hennessey - 4

While he made some excellent saves last week against City, Hennessey had a torrid time against United. Seemingly shot for confidence after two minutes when the first goal went in, he struggled all afternoon. There were some solid routine saves, but he was far from a commanding force. He helped Marouane Fellaini to his second, misjudging a cross, which just about summed up his day.

Joel Ward - 4

With Timothy Fosu-Mensah a United player and therefore ruled out of the game, Ward made his way back into the starting XI on the right. He got no respite from fans’ criticism when Marcus Rashford left him for dead after two minutes to set up United's opener. There were some fine moments, including an excellent block from a Rashford shot just after half-time that stopped a certain goal, but lack of pace was enough to render Ward unable to deal with what was thrown at him.

Mamadou Sakho - 5

Undeniably Sakho's poorest game in a Palace shirt, the summer flagship signing was ineffectual against the rampant United frontline. There was one absolutely world class clearance early on to prevent the home side going two up inside 10 minutes, but his first game working in partnership with Delaney did not seem to work out, with acres of space being offered to men bombing forward. Romelu Lukaku's goal, United's fourth, was a prime example.

Damien Delaney - 5

A surprise injury for Scott Dann, sustained Friday during training, made Palace look even more threadbare. Cometh the hour, cometh Damien Delany, playing due to James Tomkins also being ill. Arguably on the day, he proved to be Palace's best defender, although he seemed to be detached from his partner Sakho for much of the game. He kept Lukaku relatively quiet for long periods, which few seem to be able to do this season.

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Patrick van Aanholt - 4

With United targetting Ward's wing and Marcus Rashford's pace, there was less coming down Van Aanholt's side, but he provided little reassuring cover, apart from a strong clearance from a menacing cross early on. He largely failed to link up with Jeffrey Schlupp to create anything down the left for Palace either, meaning for long periods he just did not seem to figure in the game.

Luka Milivojevic - 5

Palace fans are dreaming of the day where we can see the Milivojevic of last season. Even if he was in there somewhere against United, he was utterly overrun by a sizeable United midfield. The trademark Milivojevic grit and endeavour was there, but aside from some strong challenges, he could do nothing to affect the game meaningfully.

Yohan Cabaye - 6

Arguably Palace’s most effective player in the absence of Loftus-Cheek, anything of note did go through Cabaye, although chances were limited. Delivered some strong corners as the Eagles earned a brace of them in the first half and put in a menacing set piece from the right hand side during Palace’s only real spell of promising forward play. Had one shot from a good area that he hit over the bar. As the game wore on, he looked more isolated and blocked out from the game.

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Jason Puncheon - 4

With Loftus-Cheek out, Puncheon made a quick return to the side but struggled throughout. A lack of physical presence in the midfield played to United’s strengths, with their height and weight they had on show; Marouane Fellaini simply tussled Puncheon out of the way for his first. He was subbed for Jairo Riedewald on 68 minutes (6), who instantly galvanized the side and oversaw a brief period of play around the United 18-yard box when the fans dared to believe a goal might come. It didn’t, of course.

Andros Townsend - 5

The most anonymous afternoon for Townsend this season merely underlines United’s utter dominance. He had virtually no opportunity to make the trademark runs we have come to expect against just about any opposition. Instead, Townsend found himself tracking back to cover the right side of defence as Marcus Rashford ran riot. He was fighting a losing battle the entire game.

Jeffrey Schlupp - 4

The promise of a Van Aanholt/Schlupp partnership down the left seems like a strong idea on paper, but with the link-up finally happening for two games away at the Manchester clubs, we’re no nearer to finding out if it will work out. Against United it certainly didn’t and Schlupp was a passenger for the hour or so he was on the pitch. Where he did have chances to cross, his end product was poor. Everyone knows Schlupp is much better than he was at Old Trafford, but his confidence looks absolutely shot.He was swapped for James McArthur on 68 minutes (5), but the position by then was hardly playing to the Scotsman’s strengths.

Bakary Sako - 6

Sako did everything asked of him, playing a similar way to how he did in the cup game he won for Palace against Huddersfield. He chased balls right across the pitch and tested a strong United backline. Struck a fine edge of the box effort at 1-0 that tested David de Gea, which proved to be Palace’s only shot on target. Was taken off for Freddie Ladapo (5) to make his Premier League debut with sixteen minutes to go; the signing from Margate carried on in much of a similar fashion.

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