Manchester United struggle to react to Ruud van Nistelrooy instructions in Crystal Palace draw

Manchester United created chances galore and gifted great chances. In a contest that was descending into win-or-bust, it ended in a draw.

The only similar aspect about United from their mauling at Selhurst Park in May was they did not score. United constructed structured and speedy attacks, threatened from set-pieces and rattled the goalframe.

Rarely have they hogged the ball for 70 per cent and supplemented it with a high chance-creation. United were even guilty of overplaying it - a crime occasionally levelled at the other Manchester club.

Not for the first time, the issue was chance-conversion. The irony is United went backwards when Joshua Zirkzee was hooked as they were devoid of a frontman. By the time Erik ten Hag attempted to rectify it by introducing the official number nine, Rasmus Hojlund, United had gone flat.

READ MORE: United ratings vs Palace

READ MORE: Palace vs United as it happened

Hojlund gamely won a header in the 90th minute that a teammate failed to anticipate. Ten Hag lifted his arms in frustration.

Zirkzee, with one goal in seven appearances, is patently not a reliable goalscorer yet his penchant to drop deep allowed United to play around him and for their wingers to charge into the space he had vacated. United were sharper with the blunt Dutchman on the pitch.

After two wins by an aggregate scoreline of 10-0, this was always going to be a more reliable gauge of United's early-season progress. Palace are still winless in the Premier League but had the best opportunities to win it.

"We're Man United and we're never gonna stop," those in the away end sang in the 85th minute. Yet Palace did stop United, now winless at Selhurst in five.

As busy as Dean Henderson was, the save of the night and