Manchester United fans take on ‘Scapegoat’ after Palace goal

In a tense tie that was very much a contrast to the mid-week game in the Carabao Cup  at Old Trafford versus Crystal Palace, Manchester United found themselves trailing 1-0 against Roy Hodgson’s men after a close-range strike by Joachim Andersen in the 25th minute.

The Manchester United fanbase were sure to make their feelings known on the internet after identifying a scapegoat that led to the defensive blunder.

The Red Devils entered the game with a string of injuries, with the absence of Jadon Sancho adding to their woes. Manager Erik ten Hag was forced to assemble a makeshift back four, consisting of players who had never played together before.

Sofyan Amrabat, a new signing, had to step in as an unconventional left-back, while Diogo Dalot patrolled the opposite flank.

The center-back partnership comprised Raphael Varane and Victor Lindelof. With only three wins in their first six Premier League games, Manchester United viewed this clash as an opportunity to turn their season around.

However, the match did not go as planned, as Joachim Andersen found the net for Roy Hodgson’s Crystal Palace side in the 25th minute.

Andersen’s goal came from a situation that left United fans collectively frustrated.

Many supporters pointed fingers at the team’s set-piece defending, suggesting that it had been subpar in recent matches. One fan took to Twitter to express their concern, saying,

“The last few minutes have been a disaster in United’s defensive third. Hopefully, that Palace goal will wake everyone up.”

Another fan commented, “Our set piece defending has been terrible of late,” while a third added, “That is a crazy strike, but we can’t defend set pieces at all.”

Criticism was also directed at Victor Lindelof, with one fan accusing him of allowing Andersen too much space.

“Lindelof let his man sit open on the corner and have all the space in the world while he marked grass,” remarked another frustrated supporter.