When Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner begun rattling off a list of Manchester United’s biggest threats and biggest talents, it feels all the more baffling that Erik ten Hag’s side are in the midst of such a dreadful run of form.
The Red Devils have two of the most – if not the most – exciting teenagers in English football. A striker who, at the age of just 21, has 14 goals in his debut season and already boasts a Premier League record to his name.
And, in captain Bruno Fernandes, a Premier League Player of the Month nominee who has created the most goalscoring chances in any of Europe’s top five leagues.
When you factor in the abilities of Fernandes, Ajelandro Garnacho, Kobbie Mainoo, Rasmus Hojlund and -yes, even an ever-so-slightly rejuvenated Antony – it’s difficult not to ask where things have gone so wrong for a Manchester United team hanging onto six and posting the joint-worst goalscoring numbers in the top-half.
“I expect a lot of quality; players’ quality and coaching quality. Erik ten Hag did a fantastic job at Ajax. Last year, Man Utd won a cup,” Glasner tells the Crystal Palace website, doing like Burnley boss Vincent Kompany last week and sticking up for a manager who’s future has been the subject of such discussion of late.
Crystal Palace host Manchester United on Monday
“Great manager, great team. They suffered from many injuries this season, but they still have a lot of quality, offensively.
“Antony, Garnacho, Fernandes; individual, one-on-one players, and a very physical striker (Hojlund) with finishing qualities. Mainoo, one of the rising stars in English football, he also had his debut for the English national team.
“So a fantastic team, and of course a big club. But, with respect, we go for the win.”
After Man United dropped points against Brentford, Burnley, Bournemouth and Chelsea while edging past Sheffield United at Old Trafford, would you really put it past Glasner’s side doing the double over Ten Hag’s team, following up September’s 1-0 triumph with another famous win?
Erik ten Hag’s team can still finish fifth
“I have mentioned it before, they have a lot of quality in offence. But also, yeah, like every team, they have their weaknesses,” Glasner adds.
“It’s for us to control their strengths, but also use their weaknesses, and also what fits to our strengths. We can’t play, or we don’t want to play, in a different way to what we did in the past.
We get confidence in what we are doing. We see, yes, we’ve kept the last three teams at Fulham, Newcastle and West Ham in single figures of shots against us – it was four, seven and nine. And this is how we want to play, to keep them away, get a lot of pressure on the ball and create chances to score.
“This is the way we want to play. This is the same way against Man United. Of course, we prepare, but we have to take care of where we get our chances.”
Throwing away yet more valuable points from a losing position at home to relegation zone dwelling Burnley last week, Man United can no longer mathematically qualify for next season’s Champions League.
At least, with Tottenham Hotspur in some pretty dreadful form themselves, fifth spot is not entirely out of the question.