Preview: Manchester United vs Crystal Palace Prediction, lineups, betting tips & odds | Premier League 2025-26

Old Trafford braces for a big Sunday afternoon.

Manchester United host Crystal Palace on March 1, 2026, and the match kicks off at 14:00 GMT. United are in great form. They haven’t lost a Premier League match yet in 2026.

They recently beat Everton 1-0 on Merseyside. This run puts Michael Carrick’s side in fourth place. This time, they are chasing a UEFA Champions League spot with real belief.

United score about 1.78 goals per match. Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko lead the attack. Both players score regularly.

However, the defence looks shaky. They have given up 37 league goals this season. That is a rate of 1.37 per match.

Crystal Palace look messy. The Eagles have won only twice in their last 16 games. This poor run says it all.

Manager Oliver Glasner will leave the club this summer. This lame-duck setup hurts the team’s mood.

Manchester United will miss Lisandro Martínez and Matthijs de Ligt, as both have injuries. Palace might play without Jean-Philippe Mateta, Eddie Nketiah, and Jefferson Lerma.

United are the favourites because of their home crowd and deep squad. Still, Crystal Palace often cause trouble at Old Trafford.

Kick-off:

• Location: Manchester, England
• Stadium: Old Trafford
• Date: Sunday, March 1
• Kick-off Time: 7:30 PM IST
• Referee: Chris Cavanagh
• VAR: In use

Back home this weekend 🙌 pic.twitter.com/Sd0oCBOTLe

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) February 26, 2026

Form:

Manchester United: W-D-W-W-W

Crystal Palace: W-W-D-L-W

Players to watch out for:

Bryan Mbeumo (Manchester United)

Mbeumo carries nine Premier League goals and three assists across 22 appearances this season. He averages a remarkable 0.43 goals per 90 minutes. These figures establish him as Manchester United’s most dangerous attacker at Old Trafford.

Furthermore, his shooting accuracy sits at 51.79%. He has hit the target with 29 of 56 shots. This clinical edge consistently punishes deep defensive blocks.

Crystal Palace’s backline has leaked goals against direct forward play. They face a genuine threat from a player at the peak of his confidence.

Ismaïla Sarr (Crystal Palace)

Sarr contributed three goals and one assist across his first nine Premier League starts this campaign. Injury disruptions and international duty with Senegal then interrupted his momentum.

Nevertheless, Sarr previously destroyed Brighton at the Amex. He recorded two goals and an assist in that single match.

That explosive wide threat remains Palace’s most credible counter-attacking weapon on Sunday. His pace and directness stretch even the most composed defensive lines. United’s injury-hit backline currently misses Martínez and De Ligt. This could give Sarr the space he craves.

Match Facts:

• Crystal Palace beat Manchester United 2-0 in the reverse fixture earlier this 2025-26 campaign. They also claimed a 1-0 victory at Old Trafford during the 2023-24 season, making this ground far less of a fortress for United against the Eagles than their overall record suggests.
• Crystal Palace have found the net in six of their last seven away Premier League fixtures. Yet their season-long xG of 44.7 against an actual return of just 29 goals exposes a persistent and costly inability to convert the chances they create.
• Crystal Palace have drawn at half-time in four consecutive away Premier League matches. A pattern that points to a cautious, reactive approach on the road that United’s attacking depth will look to exploit early and decisively.

Manchester United vs Crystal Palace Betting Tips and Odds:

• Manchester United to win: 8/7 (Bet365).
• Both teams to score – Yes: 8/11 (Bet365).
• Bryan Mbeumo to score anytime: 8/5 (Rating Bet).

Injuries and Team News:

Manchester United go into this game with several defensive injuries. Lisandro Martínez remains in doubt due to a calf problem.

Matthijs de Ligt has a back injury. This issue keeps him out of action until early April.

Also, Mason Mount picked up a knock. He will stay off the pitch until early March. Patrick Dorgu also faces a long spell out with a hamstring injury. The medical staff expects him back in mid-April.

Crystal Palace also have a thin squad across several positions. Cheick Doucouré misses the trip with a knee injury. He will not return until early March.

Jefferson Lerma has a hamstring problem. This injury extends his absence to mid-March. Furthermore, Eddie Nketiah has a strain. This rules him out until mid-April.

Jean-Philippe Mateta, Palace’s main striker, also has a knee injury. He will stay out until mid-March. This leaves Oliver Glasner very short of attacking options at a difficult time.

Head-To-Head stats:

Total matches: 69

Manchester United won: 42

Crystal Palace won: 13

Draws: 14

Predicted Starting Lineups:

Manchester United Predicted Starting Lineup (4-2-3-1):

Senne Lammens; Diogo Dalot, Leny Yoro, Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw; Casemiro, Kobbie Mainoo; Amad, Bruno Fernandes, Matheus Cunha; Bryan Mbeumo.

Crystal Palace Predicted Starting Lineup (3-4-2-1):

Dean Henderson; Jaydee Canvot, Chris Richards, Chadi Riad; Daniel Munoz, Adam Wharton, Will Hughes, Tyrick Mitchell; Ismaila Sarr, Yéremi Pino; Jørgen Strand Larsen.

Match Prediction:

Manchester United’s strong home form gives the hosts a massive advantage on Sunday afternoon. Crystal Palace have a crippling injury list and will be missing both Mateta and Nketiah. Plus, Bryan Mbeumo’s clinical finishing against a makeshift Palace defence makes the outcome an easy call.

Prediction: Manchester United 2-1 Crystal Palace.

Telecast Details

India: JioHotstar, Star Sports Network

UK: Sky Sports and TNT Sports

US: NBC Sports

Nigeria: SuperSport

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