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On Saturday, Manchester United will host Crystal Palace at Old Trafford hoping to strengthen their Premier League playoff chances.
Currently, the Red Devils are in fourth place and the Eagles are in last, eight places and 15 points apart in the rankings.
Manchester United are a win away from the EFL Cup final following a 5-0 aggregate victory against Nottingham Forest in the semi-finals.
The Red Devils booked their spot in the FA Cup Final against Newcastle United on February 26 after cruising to a 2-0 victory at home on Wednesday night. This followed a 3-0 triumph on the road in the first leg.
Given that they are still in the hunt for all three trophies, Erik ten Hag's squad has every reason to be upbeat right now. They will switch gears from the EFL Cup to the Premier League this week, starting with Saturday's match against Crystal Palace and continuing with back-to-back games against Leeds United. Moreover, in less than two weeks, they will have to go to Barcelona for the opening leg of their Europa League match.
Man United have been dominant at home as of late, having won their previous 12 home games in all competitions at Old Trafford. This includes their last five home games in the Premier League, their longest such winning streak at the Theatre of Dreams in the Premier League since May–December 2017 (eight).
After a 1-1 draw at Palace on January 18 and a 3-2 loss at league-leading Arsenal four days later, Ten Hag and co. come into Saturday's clash hoping to avoid a third consecutive Premier League game without a victory.
United are currently in fourth place, three points ahead of fifth-place Tottenham Hotspur with a game in hand, but they have had trouble eking out wins against Palace in recent years, having won only one of their last five league meetings. As a result, they will not be taking the Eagles lightly this weekend.
Although Crystal Palace have not won any of their past five Premier League games, Patrick Vieira will take heart from two draws against top-four contenders Manchester United and Newcastle.
The Eagles earned a point against the Red Devils on a fantastic free kick from Michael Olise in second-half stoppage time, and two weeks ago, they held high-flying Newcastle to a goalless draw thanks to a resolute defensive effort.
Palace's next seven Premier League opponents will be more formidable than their previous four: Manchester United, Brighton Hove Albion, Brentford, Liverpool, Aston Villa, Manchester City, and Arsenal.
Even though Vieira's squad is seven points clear of the relegation zone and is in 12th place in the Premier League at the moment, they may need to start looking over their shoulders in the coming weeks if they don't start winning again soon.
Palace have struggled to score on the road, failing to do so in six of their past nine away games. The Eagles have won their past two Premier League away games against Man United, by scores of 2-1 and 3-1, respectively, giving them reason for hope as they go to Old Trafford.
