Manchester United against Crystal Palace

What next for one United?

Coming out of the back of three straight wins in all competitions, and bent by their passage to UEFA Europa League last 16, this was really an opportunity for Manchester United to start their 2024/25 Premier League campaign.

But by preventing an early chance that came down from the post, they didn’t even look out to put a glove on an elastic palace side that even put a truly ‘professional’ away performance.

Ruben Amorim is definitely trying to find a solution to his side’s blunt attack, though he used Kobbie Maino as a provisional striker was an experiment that did not wear any fruit – with the visitors’ front man took all plaudits on a day when he showed exactly what United are missing.

There are now five defeats in United’s last six Premier League matches at Old Trafford, and their chances of saving something commendable from the 2024/25 campaign is now in the FA Cup and UEFA Europa League.

But pressure will definitely build on Amorim – not necessarily with his job on the line yet – but from a fanbase that is rightly impatient over consistently impotent screens.