A late Nemanja Matic cracker completed a dramatic comeback victory for Manchester United at Selhurt Park on Monday night, with the visitors beating Crystal Palace 3-2.
Roy Hodgson’s Palace, shorn of 10 first team players, impressed throughout and took the lead after just 11 minutes, courtesy of a well struck (if heavily deflected) Andros Townsend effort from the edge of the box.
With United toiling and looking pitifully unbalanced, the Eagles doubled their advantage just after the break, with Patrick van Aanholt producing a cool finish after a quickly taken free-kick.
However, the Red Devils got one back soon after, with Chris Smalling nailing a downward header from a pinpoint Antonio Valencia centre.
That goal kickstarted the visitors, who started to dominate against a tiring Palace side.
The equaliser would come on 76 minutes, with Romelu Lukaku bagging his 99th Premier League goal after a deflected Alexis Sanchez effort came back off the frame of the goal.
However, Palace then had a great chance to take the lead again, only for David De Gea to pull off a yet another terrific reflex save from a Christian Benteke header.
There was more drama to come, with Matic conjuring up a magnificent finish from outside the box in stoppage time, a goal which broke Palace hearts and secured a barely deserved win for Jose Mourinho’s men.
United go back second, 16 points behind runaway leaders Man City.
As for poor old Palace, they remain in the drop-zone, a point away from safety after a performance which arguably deserved some reward.