The Crystal Palace vs. United Manchester: Forecast 26.09.2023

EFL Cup( Second Round ) Competition
• Time: September 26, 2023, Tuesday
• Kickoff: 20:00 UK / 21.00 CEST
• Old Trafford( Manchester ) is the location.

United Manchester, the reigning champions, kick off their EFL Cup defense in front of their loyal fans at Old Trafford as they welcome The Crystal Palace on Tuesday.

The Red Devils, who finally put an end to their trophy drought last season and brought Old Trafford its first silverware since 2017 by defeating Newcastle 2 — 0 in the championship game, enter the match on Tuesday as the tournament’s reigning champions. With four defeats and only three victories in their first seven challenges, United’s precarious start to the 2023 — 24 campaign casts doubt on their aspirations. A performance like that doesn’t reflect well on the club’s reputation, especially after major summer investments. Erik ten Hag’s team, however, temporarily put their problems behind them when they defeated newcomers Burnley 1 — 0 over the weekend, breaking a string of three straight losses.

On the other hand, it seems that the EFL Cup is not Hodgson’s Eagles’ favorite tournament, as they have never managed to win it, and they have also never been in a position to compete for the same trophy, with the second round being the furthest they’ve gone in three out of the last four editions. The Crystal Palace, in fact, booked their clash with the Red Devils at the “Theatre of Dreams” by convincingly defeating Championship newcomers Plymouth 4-2 at the end of August. The Selhurst Park-based squad embarked on the current campaign with notable inconsistency, compiling two wins, along with the same number of draws and losses, in their first six The Premier League contests.

United Manchester vs The Crystal Palace Betting Tips : United to Win

Following the EFL Cup clash on Tuesday, The Crystal Palace won’t need to return to South London as just four days later, on Saturday, they face another showdown with the Red Devils at Old Trafford in the seventh round of the The Premier League. Despite United’s recent inconsistency, we anticipate Erik ten Hag will quickly devise a plan to revive his squad. Primarily, the Dutch tactician will need to address the defensive concerns, as conceding 14 goals in their last six matches appears highly alarming. Therefore, it all hinges on the performance of Manchester’s defense — if the backline fulfills its duties as expected, the Red Devils will likely commence their EFL Cup defense on a high note.