Crystal Palace's Dean Henderson in action with Manchester United's Alejandro Garnacho
Credit: Reuters Photo
London: Manchester United had to settle for a single point despite a dominant performance by Erik ten Hag's team in their 0-0 Premier League draw with Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Saturday.
The draw -- at least a small measure of revenge after United's humiliating 4-0 rout by Palace in May that was their low point last season -- left them 11th in the table on seven points. Oliver Glasner's Palace are 16th with three points.
Selhurst Park continues to prove a bafflingly tough place to play for United, who have not won there in their past five games and have just one goal to show for that stretch.
"We didn't win, but I'm happy for the work, for the sacrifices of my teammates, we had so many chances. It's painful to come back home with the one point when we deserved to win," United's keeper Andre Onana told Sky Sports.
Ten Hag's men will rue Saturday's squandered opportunities, including two agonising near misses in rapid-fire succession in the first half that saw Alejandro Garnacho and then Bruno Fernandes hammer shots off the crossbar within a few seconds, both left to hold their heads in disbelief.
Onana saw almost no action in the first half but was put to work several times in the second against a Palace side who were significantly better after the break. Onana made a fabulous double save, diving to bat away Eddie Nketiah's shot and then leaping into the air to stop Ismaila Sarr volleying home the rebound.
"I think we were way better than them, we had the best chances during the game," Onana said. "(But) playing for Manchester United, you have to win. We go home disappointed."
Glasner's halftime message was about his team's lack of intensity, and it showed in the their cranked up second-half performance.
"It was the intensity, the belief, he was obviously frustrated with the way we were playing, he thought we were playing so cautious," Henderson said. "(He said) take the safety cap off and go for it. We have nothing to lose."
Palace had a brilliant chance to secure victory late in the game when Sarr latched onto a cross from Jeffrey Schlupp, but flicked the shot just wide of the near post.
"Obviously we missed a couple of key opportunities, I think Andre made a great save," Palace keeper Dean Henderson told Sky. "It was a game of two halves and I think we'll take the point and we'll be delighted with it."