By our man at Old Trafford
THE THEATRE OF DREAMS was back to its spine-tingling best yesterday as Manchester United systematically dismantled a stubborn Crystal Palace to keep their top-four charge firmly on track.
Under the iconic floodlights of Old Trafford, the Red Devils proved they are still the kings of their own castle, securing a comfortable 2-0 victory that left the visiting South Londoners gasping for air in the relentless Manchester rain.
From the first whistle, the historic turf of M16 felt like a fortress, with the Stretford End providing a wall of noise that seemed to push the home side forward.
The breakthrough came just before the interval, sending the 73,000-strong crowd into a frenzy.
A slick passing move, birthed in the shadows of the Sir Bobby Charlton Stand, carved the Palace midfield open before the ball was buried into the bottom corner. It was a goal worthy of the setting, executed with the kind of clinical precision that has become the hallmark of United’s resurgence on home soil.
Palace, to their credit, tried to find a way back into the contest, but the hallowed ground of Old Trafford appeared to swallow their ambitions whole.
Every time the Eagles threatened to soar, they were met by a red wall, with United’s backline marshaling the edge of the penalty area like seasoned sentries.
The game was put beyond doubt in the second half when a thumping header doubled the lead, effectively turning the final thirty minutes into a victory parade.
As the “Glory Glory” chants echoed around the towering stands, it was clear that for Crystal Palace, this was simply a bridge too far.
For United, it was another three points safely tucked away in the cabinet at the world’s most famous club ground.
For Palace, it was a long, quiet coach journey back to the capital, wondering just how to crack the code of the Theatre of Dreams.
