Manchester United vs Crystal Palace prediction 01.03.2026 | Premier League

Fourth place, ahead of Chelsea and Liverpool, once sounded optimistic. Now it feels earned, even if the margins are slim. Since Michael Carrick stepped in, results have sharpened.

Victories over Manchester City, Arsenal, Fulham, Tottenham and Everton, plus a draw with West Ham, reshaped the season. Confidence is visible. You can see it in the way they manage tight moments against Everton last time out.

At home, four wins from the last five suggest control. However, only one win in the last four meetings with Palace tempers that optimism. Benjamin Šeško came off the bench to score his seventh league goal this week. Useful, certainly. Yet he may again begin among the substitutes, which says something about squad hierarchy.

Lisandro Martínez missed the Everton match with a calf issue and could return. Matthijs de Ligt is managing a back problem. Patrick Dorgu has a hamstring concern. Mason Mount is nursing a knock. None catastrophic, but enough to test depth.

Palace’s winter was awkward. Twelve games without a win. Seven defeats. Five draws. That kind of stretch can erode belief quietly. However, recent weeks suggest a response.

Three wins from the last five matches in all competitions. Three clean sheets too. The 3 1 aggregate victory over Zrinjski secured a place in the Conference League last 16, which should not be dismissed lightly.

There is a sense of balance returning. Defensive lines look tighter. Midfield distances shorter. Still, away form remains a concern. One win in the last eight on the road tells its own story.

Jørgen Strand Larsen has two league goals in three games and will lead the attack. Ismaïla Sarr and Evann Guessand provide pace around him. Cheick Doucouré, Caleb Kporha, Rio Cardines and Eddie Nketiah are unavailable. Depth, therefore, becomes a quiet issue.