Currently, Erik ten Hag’s squad sits in seventh place in the division, two points behind sixth. If they were to win tonight’s game, they would reclaim their spot in the top six.
United will be coming off a dismal 1-1 Premier League stalemate with relegation-threatened Burnley at Old Trafford, and they will be looking to bounce back in this encounter.
Harald Erik-ten-Hag
United should be aiming to get back on track with a victory against Palace after suffering a 4-1 loss to Newcastle on Saturday. The Clarets kept ten Hag’s men to a draw.
In an effort to get a better performance out of United’s starting eleven against Oliver Glasner’s team, the manager may decide to make a few changes from the team that drew with Burnley.
Because of this, ten Hag has to start offensive midfielder Mason Mount with Bruno Fernandes right away.
Dropped player to make room for Mason Mount
In order to get the England international back into the starting lineup for the match against Palace, the Dutch coach will have to bench one player.
Mount may get the nod to start on the left side of the offensive midfield trio—with Fernandes in the center and Antony on the right—if winger Alejandro Garnacho is benched.
The united Garnacho man
In his previous five matches in all competitions, the Argentine international has failed to score a goal and has just provided one assist, in a 4-2 victory over Sheffield United, who have since been relegated.
Although his teammates were not to blame for his lack of output in the final third, Garnacho did miss four “big chances” in those five games, indicating that his teammates did provide good opportunities for him to score.
Though disappointing, the 19-year-old starlet’s lack of form is understandable given that he is still a young professional and has a long way to go before he can be considered a constant revelation.
23+ Premier League matches
Jose Garnacho Alejandro
Visual aspects
32
xG
7.64 grams
Goals
7
xA
2.77
Helps out
4
Competitor victory rate
40%
The chart shows that despite his young age, he has had an excellent season thus far, contributing well as a scorer and, on occasion, as a wing creator.
However, given his recent play, tonight’s match against Palace would be a good opportunity to sit him and give Mount a chance to shine.
The potential contributions of Mason Mount to the squad
Injuries plagued the first season of the former Chelsea star, causing him to miss 27 competitive matches due to a calf injury and an undisclosed ailment.
He has already missed more games this term due to injury than in his four entire seasons with the first team from 2019/20 to 2022/23 (19).
United Manchester, Mason Mount, James Garner, Everton, and the ten Hag transfer
Because of these problems, he has only made 13 appearances for United in the Premier League, starting once in November 2023 against Luton.
Mount has not received nearly enough playing time to demonstrate his full potential while wearing the red jersey; his most recent goal came against Brentford in March.
The 25-year-old genius showcased his skills as a creative force and progressive playmaker in 20 Premier League appearances for Chelsea last season.
Expected Assisted Goals per 90 minutes was 0.26, progressive passes per 90 minutes was 5.35, and progressive carries per 90 minutes was 2.62, all of which placed him in the top sixteen percent of the division’s midfielders.
The forward-thinking midfielder Mount, who was previously described as “complete” by talent evaluator Jacek Kulig, has the ability to face the opposing goal, find his teammates in dangerous situations, and pick up the ball in pockets of space on the half-turn.
If he can regain his previous form, the 5’11 maestro—who previously scored 11 goals and had 10 assists in 27 appearances for the Premier League in the 2021–22 season—could be a thrilling player to watch with Fernandes in the final third.
If ten Hag were to start Mount against Palace tonight instead of Garnacho, it would be a great way to get him match sharp again and give him his first start since November.
The current Premier League form of Bruno Fernandes
Since the Portuguese prodigy has the creative ability to maybe put on a masterclass, the England international might be entertaining to see with Fernandes in their match versus the Eagles.
Tonight, the offensive midfielder may have the chance to show off his passing prowess in the final third thanks to Bruno Fernandes Mount’s progressive passing and carrying ability, which should leave the former Sporting star in dangerous situations at the top of the pitch on a regular basis.
With an incredible 20 “big chances” generated in 33 games so far this season, the Portugal international has been in terrific form in the Premier League. He may be able to play the Eagles despite a wrist injury.
His midfield creativity might be an asset to Mount’s success, and he could set up excellent scoring opportunities for the English superstar to reclaim his form.
Although his colleagues only produced 2.0 xG worth of chances last season, the former Blues ace scored three league goals and did not miss a single “big chance.” This shows that he might perhaps get back on track with Fernandes giving him with excellent opportunities.
23+ Premier League matches
Gustavo de Sousa
Visual aspects
33
Goals
10
Helps out
7
xA
9.92 percent
Significant opportunities have been generated.
20
Every game, key passes
3.3
Fernandes has maintained a high level of consistency as a goal scorer and creator, as seen in the table above.
Think about how devastating it would be if he and Mount played together at their very best, creating and scoring goals to wreak havoc on opposing defenses, beginning with tonight’s match against Palace.
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