{"id":24300,"date":"2021-12-05T11:52:00","date_gmt":"2021-12-05T16:52:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=24300"},"modified":"2021-12-06T10:15:44","modified_gmt":"2021-12-06T15:15:44","slug":"rangnicks-reign-gets-off-to-a-winning-start-with-fred-downing-eagles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=24300","title":{"rendered":"Rangnick’s Reign Gets Off To A Winning Start With Fred Downing Eagles"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Fred curled a superb 20-yard effort beyond Guaita in front of the Stretford End (PA)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Ralf Rangnick era got off to a winning start as Fred fired Manchester United to a hard-fought victory against Crystal Palace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Having watched Thursday\u2019s 3-2 triumph against Arsenal from the stands, the 63-year-old interim manager was on the Old Trafford touchline for the first time when Patrick Vieira\u2019s men came to town.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rangnick\u2019s reign \u2013 and first match as a manager in 925 days \u2013 began in victorious fashion on Sunday, when Fred proved the unlikely match-winner with a superb curling late effort that saw off Palace 1-0.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

United\u2019s third Premier League win in 10 matches also brought with it a first home clean sheet of the campaign on an afternoon when a superb start petered out, providing the German with plenty of food for thought.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The hosts began with impressive intensity and energy under their new boss, with Cristiano Ronaldo having a host of chances before their performance began to drift against hard-working Palace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alex Telles saw a free-kick skim the bar and Jordan Ayew went agonizingly close at the other end as United began to slip into familiar ways, only for Fred to produce a moment of magic to seal three points.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rangnick stood in the technical area for the majority of his first match in charge. The German kept with the side that beat Arsenal but favored a 4-2-2-2 formation as players pressed with more regularity and effectiveness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That tweak, and the chance to impress Rangnick, saw the hosts start strongly, with Telles flashing an early shot wide before a Ronaldo cross-shot just evaded Bruno Fernandes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

David De Gea held onto a Wilfried Zaha snapshot on a rare Palace voyage forwards, before Ronaldo fired a free-kick over and then saw Marc Guehi recover well to get in a block on him after being found by Fernandes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 36-year-old star powered over a header from just inside the box and stung Vicente Guaita\u2019s palms as United continued on the front foot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

James Tomkins blocked a goalbound Fred drive as sustained pressure continued.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Guaita stretched to tip away a low Fernandes effort, before Palace survived some penalty box pinball and a deflected Jadon Sancho effort looped just over.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But a break in play for treatment after Nathaniel Clyne\u2019s foul on Fred allowed Palace to gather their thoughts and gain more control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ayew\u2019s hopeful curling effort skipped just wide as the Eagles frustrated a United side that had settled into old patterns towards the end of the first half.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, they had a big change in stoppage time as dogged play and good link up with Scott McTominay ended with Diogo Dalot flashing just across the face of goal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was an encouraging first half followed by a more cumbersome second period by United.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cheikhou Kouyate saw a header blocked from a threatening set-piece from Conor Gallagher, who helped close down Marcus Rashford as the forward shaped to shoot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mason Greenwood replaced Sancho in a bid to inject new life into a performance that had become flat and somewhat sloppy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An audacious free-kick nearly provided a 68th-minute opener. Guehi was booked for bringing down Rashford and Telles clipped the top of the crossbar from the resulting set-piece, which he hit well from an acute angle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Greenwood swiped wide and Rangnick turned to Anthony Elanga to aid a performance that was now a far cry from the start of proceedings, with Palace going agonizingly close to breaking the deadlock in the 75th minute.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tomkins headed a fine corner to the far post, where Ayew could only direct across the face of goal from an acute angle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was a let-off punished in style three minutes later as Greenwood laid back to Fred, who curled a superb 20-yard effort beyond Guaita in front of the Stretford End.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The goal was met with a mixture of relief and joy by the Old Trafford faithful, who soon sung former manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer\u2019s name as well as that of ex-caretaker boss Michael Carrick.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Harry Maguire had to be bandaged up after a clash of heads and De Gea had to tip a threatening cross behind as Rangnick started his reign with victory.<\/p>\n

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