Saturday’s 0-0 draw against Crystal Palace was one of those matches where Manchester United both looked like they should have won and, at the same time, could count themselves lucky not to have lost.
The primary reason for these mixed emotions was the performance of both goalkeepers. Dean Henderson, formerly of Manchester United, was in top form and seemed eager to prove a point against his old club, keeping everything out at one end. Meanwhile, United’s current number one, Andre Onana, delivered a match-saving display at the other end, making a spectacular double save to deny Eddie Nketiah and Ismaila Sarr, echoing the heroics of Arsenal’s David Raya earlier in the week.
Onana has faced criticism for his shot-stopping abilities since joining from Inter Milan in 2023, but his quick reactions in that moment were reminiscent of legendary United keepers like David de Gea, Edwin van der Sar, and Peter Schmeichel. Thanks to Onana’s “unbelievable” performance, as described by manager Erik ten Hag, Manchester United returned home with a valuable point, despite having the chances to secure all three by halftime.
Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner also praised both goalkeepers for their performances, emphasizing that Onana’s double save was crucial in keeping Palace at bay. The Red Devils have now managed three consecutive clean sheets, something they haven’t achieved since January 2023.
Henderson, who joined Palace for £15 million in 2023, acknowledged that it was a game of two halves, with both teams missing key opportunities. He particularly highlighted one moment in the second half where Palace came close to scoring, only to be denied by Onana’s reflexes.
In the lead-up to the game, Ten Hag had pointed out the improvement in squad depth compared to United’s previous visit to Selhurst Park. Back then, United were forced to field a makeshift defense, including Aaron Wan-Bissaka at left-back and a struggling Casemiro at center-back. This time, however, Matthijs de Ligt and Lisandro Martinez formed a solid defensive partnership.
Ten Hag also had the luxury of rotating his squad, resting Marcus Rashford and introducing Manuel Ugarte and the returning Rasmus Hojlund as substitutes. The United manager praised the quality and depth of his squad, highlighting players like Alejandro Garnacho, Bruno Fernandes, and Christian Eriksen, while noting that teams like Crystal Palace will inevitably face periods of pressure when going up against Manchester United.
United will now aim to return to winning ways when they face FC Twente in the Europa League on Thursday before hosting Tottenham Hotspur next weekend.
