Manchester United's Injury Concerns Ahead of Palace Test
Manchester United's preparations for their Premier League trip to face Crystal Palace have been dealt significant blows, with key players facing a race against time to be fit for Sunday's encounter at Selhurst Park. The match comes after a disastrous result for Ruben Amorim's side, who saw their five-game unbeaten run shattered by a shocking 1-0 home defeat to 10-man Everton on Monday night.
Attack and Defence Hit by Fitness Worries
The spotlight falls sharply on striker Matheus Cunha, whose absence against Everton was explained by a bizarre 'training ground accident' that was later confirmed as a head injury. This incident forced the Brazilian to miss a scheduled public appearance switching on Christmas lights in Altrincham. With summer signing Benjamin Sesko already sidelined until mid-December with a knee injury, Amorim is desperately hoping Cunha's issue is minor. The United boss is expected to provide a crucial update on the forward's condition during his Friday press conference.
In Cunha's absence, Joshua Zirkzee made his first start of the season against Everton, but the attack looked disjointed and lacked a cutting edge against a resilient Toffees defence. His performance did little to justify retaining the starting role, increasing the pressure to have Cunha available.
The defensive line is also a concern, with Harry Maguire remaining a major doubt for the trip to south east London. The former captain has not trained since picking up a hamstring injury against Tottenham before the international break. There is a silver lining, however, as Lisandro Martinez is now available again, having been named on the substitutes' bench against Everton following his recovery from an ACL injury.
Midfield Battle and AFCON Looming
The game features an intriguing midfield duel, with Palace's Adam Wharton coming up against United's Casemiro. Wharton, one of the most coveted young midfielders in the league and a reported United transfer target, will look to dictate play from deep—a quality United's midfield has often lacked this season. While Casemiro has been a standout performer, he will need support to contain Palace's midfield thrusts and deny Wharton space.
Looking further ahead, United face a significant squad disruption next month with the Africa Cup of Nations. The home fixture against Bournemouth on 15 December is likely to be the last game for both Amad Diallo and top scorer Bryan Mbeumo before they depart for the tournament.
For Crystal Palace, managed by Oliver Glasner, the focus is first on a Europa Conference League assignment away to Strasbourg on Thursday. A quick turnaround awaits, but Palace will be confident, boasting the second-best defensive record in the Premier League this season, behind only Arsenal.
Crystal Palace vs Man Utd takes place on Sunday 30 November with a 12pm GMT kick-off. The match will be broadcast live on TNT Sports 1 and available for streaming via the Discovery+ app.
