Roy Hodgson pays Manchester United tribute after brilliant Palace victory

Add as preferred source on Google

Roy Hodgson admits Manchester United were superior to Crystal Palace in every element of the game during Tuesday night’s 3-0 Carabao Cup third round win at Old Trafford.

Now, this, this, was more like it.

After a start to the season which had Manchester United more closely resembling a social experiment than a footballing institution – ‘more club statements than wins’ etc – a 3-0 triumph every bit as one-sided as the scoreline suggests was just what the doctor ordered.

Even if it was in the cup. Even if it was against a rotated Crystal Palace outfit.

Manchester United hammer Crystal Palace

Alejandro Garnacho, Anthony Martial and a suddenly revitalised Casemiro all found the net during United’s most commanding, most confident display of the new campaign.

Sofyan Amrabat was outstanding; a left-back on the team-sheet, but who’s heat-map showed him covering almost every blade of Old Trafford grass. Another clean sheet for Andre Onana. Two in a row now. Mason Mount was terrific in his 45 minutes too.

Even Harry Maguire, the much-maligned centre-half, went from bumbling to swaggering; rattling passes between the lines like the good old days.

“We were well beaten, basically,” former Liverpool boss Hodgson tells the Crystal Palace website. “I thought they attacked better than we did, they defended the few attacks we were able to mount quite comfortably and, as a result, unfortunately when that happens you tend to be looking at one possible result.

“And that’s the result that came up with.”

All steam ahead fourth round

United mustered 14 shots on the night, dominating neary 70 per cent of the possession and out-passing the visitors by over 400.

“The way the game panned out, United had almost complete control for so many long spells of game,” Hodgson sighs. “And, until those two chances in the second-half (which Onana saved well), I don’t think we worried them nearly enough.”

United, Carabao Cup holders, will discover their fourth round opponents tonight. The draw will take place following Manchester City’s clash with Newcastle.