Confirmed XI: Ten Hag picks team to face Palace; Garnacho starts, Hojlund & Rashford on the bench

Manchester United return to Premier League action on Saturday evening as they travel to Selhurst Park to face Crystal Palace. Having just beaten Barnsley 7-0 at Old Trafford in the Carabao Cup, United will feel a lot more confident after a mixed start to the 2024/25 season.

United were boosted with braces from Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho and Christian Eriksen with Antony also scoring a penalty. It was what was needed from this team with many players who now find themselves on the fringes of the first team getting important minutes on the pitch.

United will need to start putting in the bright performances they are capable of against teams like Palace, which in turn will build up their confidence in their abilities to take on the likes of Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal – who are considered the main threats in the league at this time.

Manchester United

Onana;

Mazraoui, De Ligt, Martinez, Dalot;

Eriksen, Mainoo;

Amad, Fernandes, Garnacho;

Zirkzee

Substitutes

Bayindir, Maguire, Evans; Mount, Casemiro, Ugarte; Hojlund, Rashford, Antony

Crystal Palace

Henderson;

Richards, Guehi, Lacroix;

Munoz, Wharton, Kamada, Mitchell;

Eze, Nketiah;

Mateta

Substitutes

Turner, Ward, Clyne, Lerma, Schlupp, Hughes, Agbinone, Sarr, Umeh-Chibueze

United showed their brilliance in attack against Barnsley, which was a run out for the fringe players of the squad and also a major confidence boost which United must keep track of as they were playing a side in the third tier of English football – not a Champions League club.

But that said, the team got what they worked for and ended up scoring seven goals at a time where scoring goals was tricky for this club. United need to be going into matches in the same vein for the remainder of the season as if they work hard enough and create chances, they will score goals.

Palace will be a tricky encounter for United, especially after the last competitive match between the two clubs. The last encounter between the two side at Selhurst Park resulted in a 4-0 victory for Palace and it is United that will have to work much harder to turn that result around this season.

Written by Paul