Trust Crystal Palace to keep Man Utd in crisis at Selhurst Park
Published:Crystal Palace haven’t beaten Manchester United at home for almost 23 years, but the soon-to-be-deposed Premier League champions are in such wretched form they can’t be backed with any confidence, which makes the 7/5 about an Eagles win or draw in the double-chance market highly appealing.
David Moyes’ deeply underwhelming first season in charge of the Red Devils reached a new low recently at Old Trafford, when rock-bottom crisis club Fulham snatched a draw in United’s back yard for the first time in the Sky Sports era.
Their 0-0 draw last time out at the Emirates may look a decent result on paper, but that was against an Arsenal outfit thrashed 5-1 by Liverpool a few days earlier.
Indeed, United haven’t triumphed on the road since hobbling to an undeserved 1-0 win at Norwich in between Christmas and New Year, while Palace are unbeaten at home during that period and have taken 10 points from a possible 12 at Selhurst Park in 2014.
Tony Pulis has turned around a team that had won once all season before he was announced as Ian Holloway’s successor.
A record of five wins from the Welshman’s seven home games in charge, for the concession of just five goals, ought to give Moyes nightmares ahead of United’s trip to south London.
His first-choice strike force of Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney are expected to feature, but the pair have started their team’s last three matches without inspiring a win.
Moyes is running out of excuses for his misfiring stars and with centre-halves Phil Jones and Jonny Evans struggling for fitness ahead of this fixture, United’s odds of 4/7 to win are readily swerved.
Despite Palace’s vast recent improvement, they’re still the lowest scorers in the top-flight with just 18 all season, but loan signing Tom Ince – whose dad Paul was once well loved by Man Utd fans – showed real promise when grabbing the opener in the 3-1 win against West Brom on his debut.
The former Liverpool youth player gets our nod at 11/1 to do the business again, but for those of you who fancy Palace to win, get on Ince to score at any time in a home victory at 10/1.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
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