Ten weeks since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer arrived at Manchester United as interim manager and his transformative powers remain strong. His latest trick proved to be the revival of Romelu Lukaku in front of goal as United kept their momentum rolling with victory at Crystal Palace while in the grip of a crisis of injuries.
‘Ole’s at the Wheel’ chorused the jubilant away fans as they celebrated with the players and Solskjaer exchanged pleasantries with supporters near the tunnel and posed for photographs on his way back to the dressing room as if he had not a care in the world.
PLAYER RATINGS AND LIVE PREMIER LEAGUE TABLE
Crystal Palace 4-3-3: Guaita 5; Ward 6, Kelly 5, Tomkins 5.5, Van Aanholt 5.5 (Kouyate 82 min); McArthur 6 (Meyer 61, 7), Milivojevic 6, Schlupp 6.5; Townsend 6.5, Batshuayi 5 (Benteke 78), Zaha 6
Goal: Ward 66
Bookings: Kelly, Zaha
Subs: Hennessey, Dann, Riedewald, Ayew
Manager: Roy Hodgson 6.5
Man United 4-3-3: De Gea 6; Young 6.5, Lindelof 6, Smalling 6, Shaw 7.5; Pogba 7, McTominay 6.5, Fred 6 (Garner 89); Dalot 7 (Bailly 77), Lukaku 8, Sanchez 5 (Rashford, 77)
Goals: Lukaku 33, 52, Young 83
Bookings: Sanchez, Shaw, Lukaku
Subs: Romero, Pereira, Rojo, Chong
Manager: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer 7
Attendance: 25,754
‘This is a game I dreaded,’ said the United boss. ‘Well, not dreaded, but I knew it was going to be difficult. But tactically we were so focused and there was no complacency. The key was a good start, taking control of the game and a fantastic response when it went 2-1. And great finishing by Rom.’
Lukaku’s first Premier League goal since January 2 fired United ahead in the first half. It owed much to a fabulous run by Luke Shaw, dribbling deep into Palace territory from the left before sliding a short pass to the Belgian, who accepted the ball on the turn and finished with stylish confidence. The goal took him into double figures in club football this season.
Lukaku’s second of the night was hooked in with his left foot after central defenders Chris Smalling and Victor Lindelhof had kept a corner alive, soon after the interval. Roy Hodgson described it as a ‘cold shower’ after Palace’s a promising start to the second half, and bemoaned the towering presence of so many six-footers in the United ranks.
The visitors, however, were delighted for Lukaku, who seized his rare opportunity to operate as a centre forward, with eight first-teamers ruled out through injury and Marcus Rashford only fit enough for a late cameo off the bench.
‘He was through the middle, we created chances for him and he put them away well,’ said Solskjaer. ‘He’s had different role and because of Rash’s form and he’s done loads of running for us up and down the line, right wing, left wing. Today he’s got the chance up front, two quality finishes and could have had another one as well, earlier on. So we’re very pleased for Rom. He’s a quality finisher. He’s a professional boy, a good boy, great around the place, always happy, always working on his finishing, he’s played more than you think but wide right and left. Rash’s form moved him out there.’
Palace pulled one back through Joel Ward, a diving header to convert a cross from Jeffrey Schlupp, and gave United some uncomfortable moments as they went in search of an equaliser. David de Gea saved from Max Meyer, who supplied fresh impetus when sent on by Hodgson, Michy Batshuayi headed over and Luka Milivojevic curled a free-kick wide.
Solskjaer reinforced his defence by sending on Eric Bailly at right back and moving Ashley Young from full-back and onto the wing. It was Young who scored the third, forcing a low drive past Vicente Guaita from an acute angle after a slick coutner-attack. With the points secure, it was the cue for the United manager to send on 17-year-old James Garner for his debut and the celebrations to move up a gear.
Manchester United are fifth, a point behind Arsenal and firmly in the chase for the top four having stretched their unbeaten run in the Premier League to 11 games under Solskjaer and tightened their stranglehold on Palace. It is nearly 28 years since the South Londoners have beaten United in a league game.
Hodgson might have hoped this was a night his in-form team might exploit an injury crisis but the script did not unfold in quite that manner. ‘The best team won,’ said the Palace boss. ‘It’s a credit to our players that we got back into the game. But no doubt they’re playing well.
‘Their organisation and work rate was good. And then they do have some very, very good players on top of that and they sometimes find a way to punish you as Lukaku did. It would have been nice to get something, and keep a good run going but it would have taken a bit more fortune because the way United are going about their business.’