By Lori Ewing
Manchester — Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes scored a penalty before delivering a free kick that Benjamin Sesko nodded home for a 2-1 comeback win over 10-man Crystal Palace on Sunday
Their success moved the hosts into third in the Premier League standings.
Interim boss Michael Carrick’s unbeaten run since his appointment in mid-January stretched to seven matches, his side now sitting on 51 points from 28 games. Palace slumped to 14th, stuck on 35.
United’s form under Carrick since the January 5 sacking of Ruben Amorim has them third for the first time since May 2023.
The home side, however, looked like they were rubbing sleep from their eyes for most of the first half as Palace struck after four minutes, Maxence Lacroix muscling past Leny Yoro to power home a header from a corner. It was the earliest goal United have conceded all season.
United improved after the break, and in the 57th minute, Fernandes hauled them level from the spot, sending goalkeeper Dean Henderson the wrong way, after Matheus Cunha was dragged down by Lacroix. The defender was shown a red card after a lengthy VAR check.
Eight minutes later Sesko completed the turnaround, leaping to head home Fernandes’ free kick.
Oliver Glasner’s Palace had dominated for the first 30 minutes, aided by United’s poor passing and pedestrian pace. Daniel Munoz had an early chance to put the visitors 2-0 up when he ran onto a through ball from Ismaila Sarr, but his shot was saved by goalkeeper Senne Lammens.
United finally got a foothold, and Sesko’s header from a Fernandes cross late in the first half forced a save from Henderson in the home side’s best chance up to that point. The keeper leapt to tip a Fernandes free kick over the bar shortly after.
Carrick’s team raced out to a much better start in the second half, and even after scoring twice, they had numerous chances to add to their lead, including a volley from Casemiro that forced a diving save from Henderson.
Amad Diallo forced another diving save with a shot from distance in stoppage time, while fellow substitute Joshua Zirkzee had a couple of chances blocked, and Kobbie Mainoo unleashed a rocket that sailed just wide of the post.
Palace pressed in the dying minutes, but United held firm to preserve the victory.
At the same time, struggling Tottenham Hotspur failed to put distance between them and the relegation zone with a 2-1 defeat by cross-town London rivals Fulham.
Harry Wilson opened the scoring in the seventh minute for Fulham, the goal given after a VAR review for a possible foul on Radu Dragusin. There was nothing controversial about Fulham’s second, lashed in by Alex Iwobi in the 34th, with the ball swerving past Guglielmo Vicario and into the net off the inside left post.
Richarlison pulled a goal back with a 66th-minute header, eight minutes after coming on as a substitute.
Danny Welbeck grabbed his 10th Premier League goal of the season as Brighton beat Nottingham Forest 2-1 to claim back-to-back wins for the first time since November.
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