Manchester United saw goals from its two stars as Robin van Persie’s penalty kick and Wayne Rooney’s pretty volley were more than enough for the Red Devils to get all three points with a 2-0 win over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.
The Red Devils pull ahead of Everton on goal differential for the sixth-place slot, while Crystal Palace stay in 15th.
United had a good chance in the first 10 minutes but Marouane Fellaini couldn’t connect with a deflected cross by van Persie, and the ball went out for a corner that Palace cleared.
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The Eagles earned a free kick in a dangerous spot in the 14th minute, and Tom Ince sent an arrow cross into the middle that was cleared by United.
Manchester United appeared to take the lead in the 17th minute but Adnan Januzaj was deemed to have collected another deflected van Persie pass with his arm, nullifying the potential opening goal.
Wayne Rooney’s 27th minute cross met danger but was popped into the air far post before Nemanja Vidic headed the ball over the bar. Five minutes later, van Persie raced onto the end of a cross into the box but couldn’t beat Speroni with his left foot.
Fellaini butchered a second prime chance in the 43rd minute, failing to convert on a wide-open look inside the 18. Rooney had a free kick before half that he curled a few yards right of the Palace goal.
Palace started the second half strong, as Ince and Jason Puncheon each made their impacts felt.
Yet it was a mistake from Chamakh that changed the course of the game with a silly challenge near the edge of the box that felled Patrick Evra. Van Persie stepped up and finished from the spot to make it 1-0 in the 62nd.
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New (more) money man Rooney slammed a left-footed volley home from just beyond the spot, a beautiful goal to double United’s advantage in the 68th minute.
CP sub Yannick Bolasie made a cutting dribble through the United midfield in the 77th minute, but his low screened shot was collected by David De Gea.
LINEUPS
Crystal Palace: Speroni, Ward, Dann, Delaney, Parr, Puncheon, Jedinak, Ledley, Ince (Gayle, 85), Chamakh (Bolasie, 74), Murray (Jerome, 66).
Manchester United: De Gea, Smalling, Vidic, Ferdinand, Evra, Fellaini (Fletcher, 88), Carrick, Januzaj (Giggs, 80), Mata, Rooney, van Persie (Valencia, 8o)
Goals: van Persie (62), Rooney (68)
