Evaluating the strength of MU vs Crystal Palace squad: The Red Devils are better

Although MU is always rated higher in terms of history and squad quality, Crystal Palace has often caused difficulties for the Red Devils.

In the last 5 meetings, the two teams' records are quite balanced, with each side winning 2 and drawing 1. Notably, Crystal Palace destroyed MU 4-0 in the second leg last season, showing that they are no longer an easy opponent to bully. However, MU also had convincing victories against Palace, such as the 3-0 victory in September 2023, which shows the unpredictability of this match.

In terms of squad strength, MU is still better with many stars in the squad, especially names like Bruno Fernandes or Hojlund, players who are in good form and play an important role in the recent series of matches. Under coach Ruben Amorim, the Red Devils are gradually improving their playing style and gaining more stability after an unimpressive start to the season. However, MU's defense is still a problem when they let Brighton score 3 goals, this could be a weakness that Crystal Palace can exploit.

As for Crystal Palace, under the leadership of coach Oliver Glasner, they play much more disciplined and pragmatically. Although they do not have many stars, Palace's defensive counter-attacking style is extremely annoying, especially when they have fast and creative players like Eberechi Eze or Mateta. In the last 5 matches, they won 3, including 2 away wins against West Ham and Leicester, which shows that they are not afraid of difficult away trips. However, Palace's attack has not really exploded, they need a really classy striker to be able to penetrate MU's defense.

In terms of form, MU has an 80% win rate in the last 5 matches, with 3 consecutive wins against FCSB, Fulham and Rangers, showing that they are gradually regaining stability. Meanwhile, Crystal Palace is not far behind with a 60% win rate, especially they play quite well away from home. This makes the upcoming match more unpredictable. Although MU has home field advantage, if their defense continues to make mistakes, Crystal Palace can completely punish them with sharp counter-attacking play. Experts predict the match will be very balanced, with a high possibility of a draw or a minimal victory for MU.