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By CHRIS WHEELER Published: 03: 08 AEDT, 3 February 2025 | Updated: 05: 55 AEDT, 3 February 2025 144 View comments Old Trafford remembered the victims of Munich and welcomed young signings Patrick Dorgu and Ayden Heaven. The past and the future of Manchester United. However, the present continues to consume this once great football club, and it looks as gloomy as ever after the latest episode in a calamitous season ended with Crystal Palace celebrating another much-deserved win here on Sunday. United have now suffered seven Premier League defeats at Old Trafford, the same amount as they did during the entire relegation season of 1974. It was the end of April when the late Denis Law backheeled Manchester City’s winner. This rabble still have six games and four months to go. Typically with United, any hope soon disintegrates. Bubbles burst. After three straight wins in all competitions and finally some transfer business that gives Ruben Amorim an opportunity to stamp his mark on this team, here was another kick in the guts. ‘It’s a really hard season for the fans, ’ Amorim admitted. ‘Football can change. We had momentum before this game and it’s gone down again. Jean-Philippe Mateta scored twice as Crystal Palace beat Manchester United 2-0 Crystal Palace continued their great record against United with another impressive victory United manager Ruben Amorim experimented with his line-up but it didn't pay off  ‘Better days will come but when you continue to lose, especially at home, you have that feeling the small improvement of the team is nothing. ’ The story of this game was Amorim’s decision to leave out Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee, and play Kobbie Mainoo as a false nine with Alejandro Garnacho and Amad Diallo either side of him. It didn’t work. With Hojlund and Zirkzee sat on the bench – and United’s only other recognised striker Marcus Rashford sat in Birmingham awaiting his medical at Aston Villa – it was left to Jean-Philippe Mateta to show what real centre-forwards do. Mateta had already opened the scoring when Amorim sent for the cavalry after 70 minutes. His second goal made it six in the last five games – one more than Hojlund and Zirkzee have managed between them in the league all season. United will try to address their failings in front of goal by signing a striker before Monday's 11pm deadline. But when Amorim spoke about avoiding ‘the mistakes of the past’ on Sunday, it was hard to look beyond the £110million spent on Hojlund and Zirkzee. Antony aside, of course. United were poor before they came on and no better afterwards. Seventeen attempts on goal produced just two on target as former United keeper Dean Henderson saved from Bruno Fernandes and Manuel Ugarte. The seventh league defeat at Old Trafford was also United’s fifth in the last six here. In total, Amorim has lost eight in 19 games in all competitions. As if that wasn’t bad enough, Lisandro Martinez was carried off towards the end after suffering what appeared to be a serious injury. Mateta opened the scoring from close range midway through the second half of the match The striker netted a second simple finish in the closing stages of the game to put it to bed  The Argentina defender was hurt in a tangle of legs with Ismaila Sarr, going down in the same area of the pitch as he did almost exactly a year ago when he injured his knee against West Ham. From Palace’s point of view, the stats make altogether happier reading. Their team have now won on four of their last six visits to Old Trafford, and picked up 16 points away from home since the start of December, more than any other top-flight club. ‘It was my first game at Old Trafford and for me personally it feels very special, ’ said manager Oliver Glasner. ‘It is very important for all of us that a win should never be normal. You can buy a lot things but you can’t buy these emotions of scoring a goal here at Old Trafford. ’ Mainoo was chosen to lead United’s attack after an encouraging performance in Bucharest on Thursday when he scored one goal and made another, but once again Amorim learned that the Premier League is far more demanding than the Europa League. The England midfielder made a bright start, teeing up a first-time shot for Garnacho which was blocked by Chris Richards and then clipped the outside of the post with a scuffed effort which took a nick off Maxence Lacroix. It went downhill from there but Amorim didn’t feel as though his plan backfired. ‘We chose to use the characteristics of Kobbie, it’s nothing against Rasmus or Josh, ’ he said. ‘It doesn’t mean if you play with two strikers you are going to score more goals. ’ ‘Kobbie gave us connections and the idea worked in that moment, but when you don’t win the game you can’t have any taste of good things. ’ The Red Devils have given their home fans little to cheer about so far this season  Martinez, an unlikely attacking threat for United of late, also had a volley blocked by Richards and blasted over with just about the last kick of a first half in which Palace actually created the better chances. In the 10th minute, Tyrick Mitchell swung over a cross from the right and Diogo Dalot was static as Daniel Munoz thundered in at the back post to plant a free header just wide. Andre Onana palmed away a long-distance effort from Lacroix and then Sarr diverted the ball inches wide when Daichi Kamada’s cut-back gave Mitchell a chance to shoot. United threatened after half-time when Henderson made his only two saves from Fernandes and Ugarte after they had been set up in quick succession by Diallo and Harry Maguire. There was a sense of anticipation when Glasner sent on Eberechi Eze just after the hour mark having indicated that his No. 10 would miss this game with a foot injury, and the substitute helped make the breakthrough three minutes later. Martinez conceded a free kick midway inside the United half for a foul on Sarr and Eze delivered towards the edge of the six-yard box. Leny Yoro misjudged it slightly and that was enough for Lacroix to rise above him and guide a header over Onana. The ball hit the ball and fell kindly for Mateta in front of goal and he made no mistake from close-range. Amorim abandoned his experimental formation and sent on Hojlund and Zirkzee in a double substitution for Mainoo and Noussair Mazraoui. But United suffered another setback in the 75th minute when Martinez went down. Palace moved about United in the league table thanks to Mateta's brace at Old Trafford ‘When you’re a player, you know when something is serious, ’ said Amorim. ‘It’s hard on us. He’s a great player and a strong character in the dressing-room. It’s time for us to help him like he helps us every day. ’ Mateta completed United’s misery with his second goal in the 89th minute. Substitute Adam Wharton broke from midfield and fed Sarr who picked out Munoz running free of Yoro. He had the simple task of squaring to Mateta to score from close range. ‘The second one looks easy because it is an empty net finish, but it was his 20th run in behind and we always encourage him to do it, ’ said Glasner. ‘It is amazing when you have a No. 9 who scores goals. ’ Sadly, United have forgotten what that feels like. Published by Associated Newspapers Ltd Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group