Top Facts: Key stats to know ahead of Crystal Palace vs Man Utd
Crystal Palace may not have anything left to play for in the Premier League this season but everything is at stake for Manchester United going into Thursday night's meeting at Selhurst Park.
United are targeting three wins from their remaining three matches to qualify for next season's Champions League, while Ole Gunnar Solskjaer must also take into account Sunday's FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea when picking his team to face Palace.
The Red Devils could be as many as three points off the top four by the time their match at Palace kicks off but it would not be a surprise to see Leicester drop more points when they face Sheffield United earlier in the evening given the respective form of both sides.
Despite a run of five straight defeats, Palace are 11 points clear of the bottom three and mathematically safe from relegation. Yet they could still ruin the party for United. Ahead of their pivotal clash, here are five facts to keep in mind.
Bruno Fernandes chasing United history
Bruno Fernandes has without doubt been the catalyst to Manchester United's resurgence in 2020. The Portugal international has remarkably played a direct hand in 14 goals in his first 11 league matches for United and has more history within sight. Fernandes will become only the fourth player in United's history, and first since Zlatan Ibrahimovic more than three years ago, to score in five consecutive Premier League away matches if he can find the back of the net at Selhurst Park on Thursday. Moreover, the 25-year-old needs just one more goal from United's last three league games to match his Liga NOS tally for Sporting this season. He netted eight times in 17 matches for Sporting before joining United in January.
No penalty luck for United here
Manchester United's controversial penalty in their 3-0 win away to Aston Villa earlier this month was remarkably their 18th in all competitions this season and record-equalling 13th in the Premier League. United have been awarded spot-kicks in three of their six league matches post-lockdown and need just one more from their remaining three matches to set a new outright record in a Premier League campaign. Coincidentally, the first side to win 14 penalties in a single Premier League campaign was their next opponents, Palace. They should, however, not bank on getting one against the Eagles on Thursday. The Eagles have conceded the joint fewest penalties in the Premier League this season, giving up just one in 35 games and that was back in August.
Palace among worst scorers in Europe
Quarantine came at the wrong time for Crystal Palace. They entered lockdown on a three-match winning streak, their best all season, but head into Thursday's game on the back of a five-match losing streak. In truth, however, they have struggled at home all season. In fact, Roy Hodgson's side have scored the fewest goals at home in the Premier League in 2019/20, at least three fewer than any other side. Managing only 14 goals in 17 home league games is a return of 0.82 goals scored per game, ranking second worst of all sides in Europe's top five leagues.
United love playing at Selhurst Park
The pressure will be ramped up on Manchester United to get a result against Palace but they travel to Selhurst Park knowing form is on their side. Even chalking off their post-lockdown form, United travel to Palace well. The Red Devils have not lost any of their previous 10 Premier League matches away to Palace - a competition record for the most away fixtures against an opponent without ever losing. That is not to suggest a walkover for the away side, as recent trips have at least been close encounters. In fact, three of their last last four league wins at Selhurst Park have only been by one-goal margins.
How Zaha fares against ex-club United
The biggest threat on paper to Manchester United's chances of getting three points is, as ever, Crystal Palace star man Wilfried Zaha. The 27-year-old isn't enjoying his best season, though offered a reminder of his quality in Palace's recent defeat to Chelsea, but remains Palace's most dangerous player. He knows United well, having spent 12 disappointing months at Old Trafford. He also knows Solskjaer well after working with the now-United manager during a loan stint at Cardiff in 2014. But how does the Ivory Coast international fare against his old club? Not very well, in fact. He has 10 career appearances against United and has not scored once in that time. In fact, against only Tottenham (11) and Manchester City (12) has Zaha made more appearances against without scoring a single goal in his career.
