How Manchester United beat Crystal Palace 3-1: Updates and reaction from pre-season tour

Thanks for listening in as United continued their encouraging pre-season with a third successive win.

A good performance, with encouraging signs that Ten Hag’s shape is working. Three lovely team goals.

The coach’s happiness will be tempered by Palace’s under-strength side, plus the loss of structure after substitutions.

No real rhythm to either side’s attacks, with counters snuffed out by inaccurate passing.

Ten Hag will be pretty happy with what he saw in the first 60 minutes though.

19-year-old United centre-back Will Fish sent-off for a professional foul. It was a clear red I’m afraid. He only flew out to Melbourne as a late replacement.

Took a heavy touch and dragged down the Palace attacker. Free-kick is fired high and wide.

And not just because of his hair! The young colt is galloping around.

A rare injection of energy in a game which has lost some impetus since all the substitutions…

It’s been an impressive first start for the Netherlands international. Replaced by Ethan Laird.

Looking like a Premier League 2 game at the moment, especially with Palace forced into taking younger players on tour due to injury issues. Savage, Hannibal, Fish, and Iqbal all playing for United.

Hannibal has a firmly-struck long shot saved by Matthews.

They can! Joel Ward makes up for his earlier mistake with a header after De Gea’s mistake. Set-piece defending the issue.

Rak-Sakyi has had some nice touhes, but it’s been a difficult day for most of Vieira’s side. Can they pull a goal back in the final 20 minutes?

Thankfully, United have made a graphic. Hannibal gets his first minutes of pre-season.

A chance to have a look at youth product Will Fish as well.

Mateta volleys home from six yards out, but three Palace players are offside.

Meanwhile, a raft of changes are about to take place…

76,499 fans at the MCG to see Sancho’s latest goal.

Jadon Sancho! Put through on goal by Martial, he dummies a shot to commit Joel Ward, and then dinks it past Matthews.

So much space for United, despite Palace’s low block.

Ayew fouls Bruno Fernandes, with Mateta then fouling Van de Beek. Ayew could have been sent off – with Fred taking exception, and giving Ayew a push.

There’s a bit of a shoving match as things slowly dissipate.

Fernandes gets free on the right, cuts it back to Sancho, but the shot is blocked. Another good opening.

Lots of United pressure, and Palace are sitting deep to try and prevent further goals,

Despite this, Fernandes somehow finds a 20 yard circle of space, and smashes a shot over the bar. It was a one-on-one chance – he should have scored.

Laurie Whitwell has his say.

Another great goal for United. Martial played through by Sancho, the ball spills to Van de Beek, who takes his time and cuts it back to Rashford, who is presented with the simplest of finishes.

An early impact from Van de Beek.

So…

Only one change, with Donny van de Beek on for Scott McTominay. How will he get on in a midfield two?

Restart moments away.