Game Week 15 predictions: United seek perfect start for Ralf Rangnick

Crystal Palace have lost two of their last three games, will United heap more misery on Patrick Vieira at Old Trafford on Sunday? (Photo credit: Sky Sports)

Manchester United vs Crystal Palace
Old Trafford
3:00pm

The reigns of highly respected “ghen ghen” pressing manager Ralf Rangnick begins from here and it’s to be seen if he starts on a high as widely expected by Manchester United fans.

The Red Devils have been on a roll since parting ways with Ole Gunnar Solksjaer with Michael Carrick leading them to two wins and a draw, the final match of his interim management was a not so stellar but an effective performance over Arsenal at Old Trafford on Thursday.

Crystal Palace have lost steam and the log already reflects that; the encouraging start to life under Patrick Vieira has given way for some reality check and if they fail to win here, they could find themselves as low as 13^th on the log and that’s closer to the bottom three than top six.

Manchester United are in a good place mentally, you don’t hold high flying Chelsea to a 1-1 draw at the Stamford Bridge Stadium and then beat Arsenal from behind only to feel low on confidence, Rangnick is taking over on the back of three high profile results and that counts for something.

Will the German tactician hit the ground running with his usually style or give it a while before he exerts himself on the team? Are we going to see the manager’s highly respected high pressing against Palace or he will wait to understand the players he has before launching his ideas?

For the Eagles, they won at the other side of Manchester, they can dream at Old Trafford where most feel it’s easier to win considering antecedents and form, can they exploit any loophole in United’s game and deliver another soccer punch?

It is left to be seen if Cristiano Ronaldo has any part to play considering how jaded he was after his brace helped United past Arsenal, but Jadon Sancho seems to have found his feet after his goal involvements in the three matches played post Solksjaer.

Palace have a Wilfred Zaha conundrum, the Ivorian isn’t delivering and his all round play hasn’t really helped the Eagles, he picks unnecessary bookings and he’s a tad volatile. Zaha’s style of play means he will always draw fouls, his reaction after being hacked down needs some education.

Recent history between the two sides over five matches is pretty even. United won twice and Palace won the same number with the last game which actually was the last time these two met ending in a goalless draw at Selhurst Park sometime in March of this year.