Manchester United survive Crystal Palace test to boost top-four push

Two brilliant goals from Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial hauled Manchester United level on points with Leicester City in the fight for the Champions League places. But they looked worryingly tired in the process of being worked extremely hard by Palace, who have now lost six on the spin.

The first half began slowly, but the tempo increased after the drinks break before, on the stroke of half-time, the game was decided. First, Victor Lindelof challenged Wilfried Zaha inside the box, tickling ball and folding man; the ref said no penalty, with some justification, but had he adjudged to the contrary, the same would have been so.

Then, a minute into injury-time, United struck. Bruno Fernandes injected some pace into an attack and Rashford diddled the Palace defence before finishing confidently.

Palace began the second half well and on 55 minutes thought they had equalised, but VAR showed Jordan Ayew to be a millimetre offside. And as they plugged away, United looked increasingly menacing on the break, and sure enough a luscious exchange between Rashford, Fernandes and Martial allowed the Frenchman to finish the game, sadly injuring Patrick van Aanholt in his follow-through.

United disappeared the remainder of the game with confidence and competence, but appear to have lost some of their elan. Somehow, they need to find some energy from somewhere, because they now face Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-finals at Wembley, before two more crucial league games. Qualified success comes at a price.

What Manchester United need. It’s been a long time since United were able to redeem poor performances with passages of attacking class and cohesion, but they are right there now. On the other hand, Victor Lindelof struggled again, and United struggled to control midfield; perhaps Jadon Sancho is too good not to buy, but a centre-back and an anchorman are their most pressing requirements.

Marcus Rashford (Manchester United) Scored a gorgeous goal, made a gorgeous goal. Bruno Fernandes was deeply involved too, but Rashford made the key contributions.

Crystal Palace: Guaita 6, Ward 6, Dann 6, Sakho 6, Van Aanholt 7, Milivojevic 6, McCarthy 6, McArthur 6, Townsend 6, Ayew 7, Zaha 7. Subs: Schlupp 6, Riedewald 6, Mitchell 6.

Manchester United: De Gea 7, Wan-Bissaka 6, Lindelof 5, Maguire 7, McTominay 5, Pogba 5, Fernandes 8, Greenwood 5, Martial 7, Rashford 8. Subs: Matic 7, Lingard 5.

44’ - VAR STAYS QUIET! Ball into Zaha, and somehow McTominay and Lindelof allow him to sneak in between them, but Lindelof does well to come back and tackle. Zaha thinks it's a penalty, but that looked a good challenge to me ... though looking again, maybe it wasn't! But the ref thinks not, and VAR stays silent!

45+1’ - LOVELY GOAL! Palace 0-1 United (Rashford). Fernandes sweeps a ball into Martial, follows it, and plays another clever pass into Dr Marcus Rashford, who diddles the entirety of the Palace defence into shooting by shaping right, then dips left as Van Aanholt slides off for a Tasty Jerk and plants a finish across Guaita. Beautifully constructed, beautifully taken, and that's what can happen when a team isn't at it but still has beautiful players.

55’ - DISALLOWED GOAL! That was coming. Milivojevic spreads wide to Zaha, who drags the ball wide of Wan-Bissaka, winning the yard he needs, then drags a shot that's heading wide, which Ayew slides in at the back post! But it's disallowed! What a let-off for United! Ayew is a pubic hair offside, and I don't know. It's the right call, but is that really what we want?

75’ - WHAT A MISS! United counter at pace, moving the ball sweetly, and Rashford dives fore the line then cuts back perfectly for Fernandes. He could steady himself, but instead shoots first time, clattering the base of the post when he really ought to have settled the game.

78’ - ANOTHER LOVELY GOAL! Palace 0-2 United (Martial). And again! Rashford wriggles through two challenges on halfway and finds Martial who finds Rashford. He sends the ball to Bruno, on the left, who slides a luscious square pass through the legs of Ward, for Rashford to caress a first-time into the path of the onrushing Martial. He opens his body, shrugs off Sakho, bends a finish into the far-bottom corner, and that's game over. United have not played well tonight, but they have so much class going forward that it's not going to matter.