Manchester United's defensive frailties were exposed once again as a costly error from young centre-back Leny Yoro handed Crystal Palace the initiative in their Premier League encounter at Selhurst Park.
A Costly First-Half Mistake
The match, played on Sunday, 30th November 2025, saw United under immediate pressure following their disappointing 1-0 home defeat to ten-man Everton. Crystal Palace started brightly, creating several early chances against a shaky United defence.
Jean-Philippe Mateta had already wasted one golden opportunity, holding off Yoro before firing wide. However, the Palace striker was handed a chance for redemption in the 36th minute when Leny Yoro committed a clumsy foul on the edge of the box, sending Mateta crashing to the turf and conceding a clear penalty.
Palace Capitalise Amid Controversy
The penalty drama didn't end there. Mateta's initial spot-kick was ruled out after he was adjudged to have touched the ball twice, creating anxious moments for the home supporters. Showing remarkable composure, the French striker stepped up again and sent United goalkeeper Senne Lammens the wrong way to give Palace a deserved first-half lead.
The goal sent the home crowd into raptures and piled further pressure on United manager Ruben Amorim, who was seeking a response after recent poor results.
Expert Analysis of the Error
Speaking on TNT Sports' coverage, pundit Ally McCoist dissected the pivotal moment. While he praised Adam Wharton's "tremendous" vision and first-time pass that created the chance, he was heavily critical of Yoro's decision-making.
"The tackle is naive but it's brilliant from Wharton," McCoist stated. "If you're a forward and you know the ball is going to get fired in, he just plays it, it's a tremendous pass."
McCoist went on to emphasise the nature of the defensive error: "It's just naive defending. You've got to let him go. You can't make that challenge there! He's going on to De Ligt, you must let him go and try and get back in goal-side maybe. Does he slip? He might slip but there's no need at all to make that challenge."
The incident highlighted the growing pains for the young defender and the broader defensive issues plaguing Manchester United as they struggled to gain footing in a crucial away fixture.
