Man Utd penalty and red card vs Crystal Palace explained as VAR intervenes

View 2 Images

Manchester United were given a lifeline in their Premier League match on Sunday thanks to a contentious penalty and red card against Crystal Palace .

Michael Carrick's side found themselves trailing early at Old Trafford when Maxence Lacroix's arcing header got the better of Senne Lammens. The rest of the first half saw United frustrated by the Eagles, but they were given a chance to take control of the game in the second half.

Bruno Fernandes ' pass set Matheus Cunha up for a shot on goal, only for Lacroix to pull the Brazilian down inside the box. Referee Chris Kavanagh signalled for a penalty.

FOLLOW OUR MAN UTD FB PAGE! Latest United news and more on our dedicated Facebook page

Moments later, he was directed to the on-field VAR screen before declaring that the Palace player would be dismissed.

"After review, Crystal Palace number 5 commits a clear holding offence which denies a clear, obvious goal scoring opportunity," Kavanagh said.

"Final decision is penalty and red card."

Fernandes slotted home the penalty to equalise. Benjamin Sesko then put United in front from Fernandes' superb cross to extend his impressive scoring streak and complete the turnaround for United.

View 2 Images

Lacroix's heavy involvement in the game followed doubt about being able to start for Palace, after making a goalscoring return from injury during their UEFA Conference League match on Thursday night.

While the Eagles were in European action, United looked to make the most of having extra time to prepare for the Premier League meeting.

With the numerical advantage, as well as the extra rest, United were able to see out the game to continue their impressive run under the stewardship of Michael Carrick. The win is the team's sixth in seven matches since the interim manager took charge.

Ensure our latest sport headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as Preferred Source in your Google search settings

Following Aston Villa's loss against Wolves on Friday night, the three points see United climb above the Midlands side on goal difference and into third place in the Premier League table.

Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle for the 2025/26 season, saving £336 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.