- Former Brighton striker Glenn Murray has written himself a place in modern Crystal Palace history by scoring the winner against Manchester United - Kafuffle
Manchester United 1-2 Crystal Palace AET
Wednesday, November 30 2011
Old Trafford, Manchester
Kick-off: 19:45 GMT
Attendance: 52,624
Team News
Sir Alex Ferguson named a mixture of youth and experience in his line-up for this quarter final tie. Young French midfielder Paul Pogba, widely tipped to make his first senior start here, was left on the bench. Dimitar Berbatov led the line and Darron Gibson got a rare run out in the middle of the park. Rafael and Fabio da Silva were both in the XI and Ben Amos continued his run in this competition, keeping goal.
The Eagles had all their highly-rated names in their side. Nathaniel Clyne at right back and Sean Scannell and Wilfried Zaha flanked Jermaine Easter in a front three. Lewis Price was preferred to number one Julian Speroni who has been rested in the Cup. Dougie Freedman retained his first choice back four however.
Match Report
Palace started brightly, intent on not being overawed by their Premier League opposition. The Red Devils weathered this early storm, but struggled to settle themselves. The visitors were denied a free kick in a dangerous area when referee Chris Foy waved away their appeals after Fabio appeared to bring down Zaha on the edge of the box.
Gibson, on his first start of the season for United, had an effort from range deflected wide down the other end of the field. Antonio Valencia came off the right wing and lofted the ball through for Berbatov, but the Bulgarian stabbed wide. Zaha’s bag of tricks and shoot-on-sight policy meanwhile gave Fabio da Silva and Jonny Evans something to think about at the back.
The home side’s reserve players were so out of sorts that Mame Biram Diouf couldn’t even take a throw in deep in Palace’s half correctly. Scannell profited from catching the hosts in possession, but his shot was off target. Ferguson was forced into a change when Fabio injured his hamstring and young Ezekiel Fryers replaced him.
Valencia crossed for Diouf who acrobatically fired over as half time fast approached. Scannell, who was suffering with a leg problem, couldn’t make it through to the break. The Eagles winger’s night ended prematurely and he was subbed for Norwegian international Jonathan Parr.
At the interval both managers made another change apiece. United brought on young Ravel Morrison for Berbatov, whilst Palace full back Dean Moxey was replaced by Darren Ambrose and that required a reshuffle. The Red Devils missed the first clear cut chance of the match when Valencia caught Anthony Gardner on the ball, but Price got fingertips to the Ecuadorian winger’s shot.
Morrison also drew a save from the Eagles goalie, though it was more routine with the effort straight at the Welshman. As the hour mark loomed Price was again called into action, using his feet to block another save from the Red Devils’ young striker. Pogba was given twenty five minutes off the bench when yet another injury occurred, this time to Fabio’s twin Rafael da Silva.
Old Trafford was then stunned when Ambrose struck a thirty five-yard thunderbolt to give Palace the lead against the run of play. The midfielder planted the ball into the top corner with Amos completely stranded. Pogba nearly levelled immediately with a deflected effort of his own from range.
With a quarter of the game remaining, McCarthy hauled down Federico Macheda and referee Foy pointed to the spot. The Italian dusted himself down and made no mistake tucking away the penalty to equalize for United. Freedman’s Eagles had their own spell of pressure late on in the regulation ninety. Substitute Glenn Murray found the side netting when gifted possession back. The two sides could not be separated so extra time had to be played.
Gibson had a shot from the edge of the box deflected wide in the first period of the additional thirty minutes. Palace retook the lead when Ambrose won a free kick. That left wing set piece was flicked in by Murray who survived the appeals for offside. Gibson again threatened and came even closer for the Red Devils with another long range effort. Macheda also poked wide having got the better of the visiting defence.
Ambrose stung the palms of Amos with a wicked free kick from way out. In the second period it was backs to the wall for the Eagles and Gardner had to clear from almost under his own crossbar. United’s pressure was incessant, but they could not break the visitors down. This remarkable rear guard action, admittedly against a weakened home side, was simply heroic.
United continue to suffer from a lack of creativity in the centre, and crashing out of a competition that Ferguson professed to love before the tie may only convince him further of the need to enter the market in January. Palace scored for the first time in five outings tonight, but must come back down to earth quickly as they entertain Derby County at Selhurst Park in The Championship come Friday night.
Match Statistics
Teams:
Manchester United: 40 Ben Amos, 21 Rafael da Silva (42 Paul Pogba 64’), 12 Chris Smalling, 6 Jonny Evans (c), 20 Fabio da Silva (51 Ezekiel Fryers 37’), 25 Antonio Valencia, 28 Darron Gibson, 13 Park Ji-Sung, 32 Mame Biram Diouf, 27 Federico Macheda, 9 Dimitar Berbatov (49 Ravel Morrison 46’) 4-4-2
Crystal Palace: 34 Lewis Price, 2 Nathaniel Clyne, 5 Paddy McCarthy (c), 6 Anthony Gardner, 21 Dean Moxey (7 Darren Ambrose 46’), 3 David Wright, 28 Stuart O’Keefe, 8 Kagisho Dikgacoi, 11 Sean Scannell (4 Jonathan Parr 45’), 19 Jermaine Jeaster (17 Glenn Murray 74’), 16 Wilfried Zaha
Goals: Darren Ambrose 65’, Glenn Murray 98’; Federico Macheda pen 68’
Bookings: Fabio da Silva 29’
Possession: Manchester United 59% Crystal Palace 41%
Shots: Manchester United 21 Crystal Palace 11
On target: Manchester United 7 Crystal Palace 6
Corners: Manchester United 6 Crystal Palace 5
Fouls: Manchester United 15 Crystal Palace 12
