Manchester United Overcome the storm with a club-record win Over Palace

Romelu Lukaku scored twice as Manchester United sealed a club-record eighth consecutive away win with a 3-1 victory over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.

Lukaku struck in either half, ending a nine-game goal drought to put United in control, but Joel Ward reduced the arrears midway through the second half to give Palace hope.

But that was extinguished seven minutes from time as Ashley Young’s second goal of the season extended Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s unbeaten run in the Premier League to 11 games.

The victory sees United stay in the hunt for the top four; a point and a place behind fourth-place Arsenal. Palace, who see a six-game unbeaten run come to an end, remain in 14th, five points clear of the relegation zone.

United started brightly and should have taken the lead inside eight minutes when Luke Shaw’s corner found Lukaku unmarked in the Palace area, but the Belgium international volleyed over from close range.

Lukaku atoned for his earlier miss on 33 minutes, curling his first goal since January 5 into the far corner beyond Vicente Guaita after Shaw’s marauding run into Palace territory.

Paul Pogba missed a glorious chance to double United’s lead within a minute of the restart, heading over from Diogo Dalot’s cross from close range.

But it was not long before United had their second, Chris Smalling and Victor Lindelof keeping a corner alive in the Palace area with two headers before Lukaku outmuscled Schlupp, controlled and hooked his second over Guaita.

Palace were handed a lifeline on 66 minutes through an unlikely source when defender Ward ghosted in behind Shaw to apply the finishing touch to a fine Schlupp cross.

But their hopes of staging a comeback were dashed on 83 minutes when Pogba released Young on the overlap, and the United skipper fired a third home through bodies to sealed an impressive victory for Solskjaer’s injury-ravaged side.

Palace travel to Burnley and United host Southampton in the Premier League on Saturday at 3pm.

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