Crystal Palace vs Manchester United, Premier League - as it happened

Re-live all the action from Selhurst Park

(Getty)

Crystal Palace host Manchester United this evening in a clash of pivotal importance for both sides. As Manchester United look to reclaim second place from Liverpool, Palace will be hoping they can secure an unexpected three points to climb out of the bottom free. Follow all the live action below.

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Preview:

Palace have not beaten United in top flight football in over 27 years, and the current injury crisis at Selhurst Park will far from aid their cause to end this barren run. A seemingly endless injury list including the likes of Yohan Cabaye, Wilfried Zaha, Ruben Loftus-Cheek as well as six other first team players has seen Palace’s resurgence halted sharply, and with 10 games remaining of the 2017/18 campaign, they are 18^th in the table with 27 Premier League points.

United have enjoyed a more successful patch of recent form than their opponents in this Monday night clash, with Mourinho overseeing a 0-0 draw away to Sevilla in the Champions League last-16, whilst also masterminding a vital victory against his previous employers, Chelsea, in a 2-1 win at Old Trafford last weekend.

From a perspective of comparison, this Premier League clash is of immeasurable importance to Roy Hodgson’s side, with a win potentially lifting them as high as 14^th in the table. For Mourinho’s side, they will view the game as a springboard for cementing their Champions League qualification, with three points lifting them nine clear of Chelsea who are fifth.

What time does it start?

Crystal Palace vs Manchester United kicks off at 20.00pm

Where can I watch it?

The match will be shown live on Sky Sports Premier League from 20.00.

It’s a big game for...

Romelu Lukaku: Manchester United’s Belgian striker defied his critics in last weekend’s victory over Chelsea, with a rare goal against ‘top-six’ opposition. Lukaku put in a commanding performance at Old Trafford, and Monday’s clash against Palace will be a telling indicator if the Belgian has the potential to follow up his goal-scoring achievements with another vital contribution, this time at Selhurst Park.

Lukaku has struggled at times this season (Getty)

Best Stat…

Crystal Palace have not won any of their 17 Premier League meetings with Manchester United (D3, L14) – a Premier League record for the most games against an opponent without winning.

Remember when…

Eric Cantona’s Kung Fu Kick: 25^th January 1995. Eric Cantona took a disliking to the musings of a fan in the crowd at Selhurst Park, and famously kicked the fan in the face whilst in the crowd. Cantona received a nine month football ban for the incident.

Player to watch…

Anthony Martial. Manchester United’s French forward could be set to make a considerable impact at Selhurt Park on Monday night, with Martial potentially starting on the bench. If he does, Mourinho will be hopeful of a goalscoring return, with Martial having been involved in a league-high six goals as a substitute in 2017/18.

Will Martial start? (Getty)

Past three-meetings…

• Manchester United 4 (Fellaini 2, Mata, Lukaku) Crystal Palace 0, Premier League, September 2017
• Manchester United 2 (Harrop, Pogba) Crystal Palace 0, Premier League, May 2017
• Crystal Palace 1 (McArthur) Manchester United 2 (Pogba, Ibrahimovich), Premier League, December 2016

Form guide…

• Crystal Palace: WLDDLL
• Manchester United: LWLWDW

Odds…

• Crystal Palace to win: 6/1
• Manchester United to win: 1/2
• Draw: 33/10

(Odds provided by 888 Sport)

[5 March 2018 19:02 · Sam Dymond]

Good evening and welcome to Selhurst Park for The Independent's live blog of tonight's Premier League encounter between Crystal Palace and Manchester United.

[5 March 2018 19:03 · Sam Dymond]

Crystal Palace v Manchester United

[5 March 2018 19:23 · Sam Dymond]

Let's have a closer look at how the two teams line up at Selhurst Park...

...where Roy Hodgson welcomes back two players from injury. Jeffrey Schlupp is back after two months out with an ankle problem to replace Jairo Riedewald while Martin Kelly returns after missing two matches. The right-back replaces Timothy Fosu-Mensah, who is ineligible to face his parent club. Up top, Christian Benteke is partnered in the Crystal Palace attack by January signing Alexander Sorloth.

It's just the one change for Jose Mourinho's Manchester United. The Portuguese manager brings in Jesse Lingard after he headed last week's winner against Chelsea; the England international replaces Anthony Martial, who is missing from the visitors' squad all together. After declaring for Scotland over the weekend, Scott McTominay keeps his place in midfield.

Crystal Palace: Hennessey, Van Aanholt, Tomkins, Kelly, Wan-Bissaka, Milivojevic, McArthur, Schlupp, Townsend, Sorloth, Benteke

Subs: Cavalieri, Lee, Souard, Delaney, Rakip, Jach, Riedewald

Manchester United: De Gea, Young, Lindelof, Smalling, Valencia, Matic, McTominay, Pogba, Lingard, Sanchez, Lukaku

Subs: Castro Pereira, Bailly, Mata, Carrick, Rashford, Shaw, Darmian

Referee: Neil Swarbrick

[5 March 2018 19:30 · Sam Dymond]

It's now no wins in five for a Crystal Palace side that have fallen back into the bottom three of the Premier League. It's the first time the Eagles have found themselves in the relegation zone since November, and it doesn't get any easier for the Eagles. Their record against tonight's opponents makes grim reading for the Sports Editor of the Independent home fans.

[5 March 2018 19:36 · Sam Dymond]

[5 March 2018 19:44 · Sam Dymond]

Here's some hope for Crystal Palace. 

Manchester United have lost their last two Premier League away matches without scoring. The Red Devils went down to Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley on the last day of January before a single Matt Ritchie goal condemned them to defeat at Newcastle.

The Old Trafford outfit haven't lost three consecutive away matches in the league since the 1995-96 season when they were beaten at Liverpool, Leeds (remember them?) and Spurs.

[5 March 2018 19:55 · Sam Dymond]

Roy Hodgson has been talking to Sky Sports ahead of kick-off about the return of key players to his Crystal Palace squad...

It gives me the chance to play a slightly different formation because Jeff Schlupp is a natural wide player and that enables us to play (Alexander) Sorloth, who is a natural centre forward, is his more accustomed position.

[5 March 2018 19:57 · Sam Dymond]

Meanwhile, Jose Mourinho has been bringing us update to on the reason for Anthony Martial's absence...

Martial is injured. I don’t know. Yesterday he felt he was not right.

Thanks for that, Jose.

[5 March 2018 19:59 · Sam Dymond]

The teams are out at Selhurst Park. We're almost ready to go!

[5 March 2018 20:00 · Sam Dymond]

KICK-OFF: We're up and running in the capital and the prize tonight is huge. The title may be out of the question for Manchester United, but a win here will take them above Liverpool and back into second before they face their fierce rivals on Saturday. For Crystal Palace, a home victory would bring an end to five matches without success and move them out of the relegation zone.