Carrick Hails Manchester United’s Resilience After Comeback Victory Over Crystal Palace

Michael Carrick praised his Manchester United players for their resilience after they recovered from an early setback to defeat Crystal Palace at Old Trafford and climb to third in the Premier League table.

Second-half goals from Bruno Fernandes and the in-form Benjamin Sesko secured the turnaround for Manchester United, who had endured a subdued opening 45 minutes and trailed at the interval.

Turning Point After the Interval

Palace made the brighter start and were rewarded when defender Maxence Lacroix found the net, giving the visitors a deserved advantage before the break.

However, the contest shifted decisively midway through the second half. An eight-minute burst from United transformed the match, with Fernandes levelling before Sesko completed the comeback.

The momentum swung even further in the hosts’ favour when Lacroix, who had opened the scoring, was dismissed for pulling back Matheus Cunha inside the penalty area — an offence adjudged to have denied a clear goalscoring opportunity.

Reduced to 10 men with more than half an hour remaining, Palace struggled to contain a rejuvenated United side that showed greater urgency and control after the restart.

Historic Start for Carrick

The victory sees Carrick collect 23 points from his first nine Premier League matches in charge, equalling the best start recorded by any manager in the competition’s history — alongside Ange Postecoglou.

United also remain the only unbeaten side in the Premier League in 2026, underlining the consistency that has characterised Carrick’s tenure thus far.

‘A New Challenge for Us’

Reflecting on the performance, Carrick admitted that going behind early provided an unfamiliar test for his squad.

“I am pleased with the victory and the way we reacted after a difficult start to the match,” he said.

“Credit must be given to Palace, who began the game very well.

“We showed conviction and personality, and we finished the first half strongly.

“Overcoming a goal conceded so early in the match was a new challenge for us.”

With confidence building and momentum gathering, Manchester United’s revival under Carrick continues to gather pace as they strengthen their position in the top three.