Manchester United came from behind to beat 10-man Crystal Palace 2-1 at Old Trafford, moving into third place in the Premier League. The match turned on a controversial second-half penalty and red card for Palace defender Maxence Lacroix. Benjamin Sesko scored the winner, while manager Oliver Glasner criticized the officiating as an 'Old Trafford bonus'.
Manchester United secured a 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace in the Premier League on March 1, 2026, at Old Trafford. Palace took an early lead in the fourth minute when Maxence Lacroix headed in a delivery from Brennan Johnson. The game shifted in the 57th minute after Lacroix fouled Matheus Cunha, initially resulting in a penalty that referee Chris Kavanagh upgraded to a red card following a VAR review. Bruno Fernandes converted the spot-kick to equalize for United.
Sesko then headed the winner from a Fernandes cross, marking his seventh goal of the calendar year and third in successive matches. This result marked United's sixth win in seven games under interim head coach Michael Carrick, who praised his team's response after trailing at half-time. 'It’s the biggest thing for us to take from the game, really,' Carrick said. 'At half-time it was about being in that position and how we react and showing that personality and the belief.' United moved above Aston Villa into third place, while Palace remained 14th.
Palace manager Oliver Glasner disputed the penalty decision, arguing the foul began outside the box. 'It’s not a penalty, maybe a red card for a foul outside the box,' Glasner said. 'But the foul starts outside the box. It’s maybe a little bit the Old Trafford bonus.' Former Arsenal forward Alan Smith described Sesko's goal as a 'superb header' on Sky Sports.
United made one change to their lineup, starting Sesko instead of Amad Diallo, with injuries to Lisandro Martinez, Matthijs de Ligt, and Patrick Dorgu. Palace brought in Johnson for Evann Guessand, missing several players including Eddie Nketiah and Jean-Philippe Mateta due to injuries. The win completed United's first league double over Palace since 2017/18.
