So there you have it. Add at least another year onto the 25 since we last beat Manchester United at Old Trafford in the league.

Palace weren’t embarrassing, nobody had an appalling game and some looked quite good compared to the Sunderland horror show.

Scraping around for more positives, Neil Warnock’s substitutions were less naïve and less perplexing.

I would have liked Dwight Gayle to have been introduced far sooner – and definitely given a start ahead of the hardworking but ineffectual Fraizer Campbell next time (I’ve been saying this for weeks) – but I understand that Warnock didn’t want to go all-out attack at 1-0 down, only to concede again and ruin any chance of a comeback.

Sadly this meant that Gayle and Barry Bannan were only awarded cameos as United trotted to the three points.

It could have been worse; think back to the capitulation last time we headed to the red side of Manchester; David Moyes’ first league win, a 2-0 cruise that included an outrageous Ashley Young dive, a red card for KG and Wayne Rooney wearing a weird headband/helmet thing.

Your Local Guardian:

Seeing red: KG is given his marching orders at Old Trafford last season

This year the Eagles were far more resolute and stubborn at the back while the best chance until the goal fell to Campbell.

It was the type of centre back muddle that everyone almost expects from Manchester United these days.

The club’s 11th centre back pairing of the campaign are hardly going to have telepathic understand and coherence.

Defender is feeling the positive Old Trafford vibes

Warnock continues his search for lady luck

After a typical clipped ball from Damien Delaney, United’s defence were caught in two minds. Campbell pounced, positioned his body to shoot… And instead of waiting a millisecond longer for the ball to drop, he attempted a gentle lob.

Sadly he couldn’t show the required composure or finesse and the ball sailed heavily over the bar.

It was our one big opening, as both Daley Blind and Paddy McNair didn’t make the same mistake again.

Highlighting another big negative, Marouane Chamakh’s touch and vision have been severely lacking since his return from injury – and he is the essential link between our defensive-minded midfielders and the front three, especially when attempting to quickly counter away from home.

Your Local Guardian:

Lacking: Marouane Chamakh is a lesser player since his return from injury

He set Yannick Bolasie scampering down the wing on a couple of occasions but we need him firing on all cylinders, all of the time, and against United he looked a bit clumsy and lost.

On the other hand, Jason Puncheon put in a commendable shift, inspiring both defensively and in attack.

At times he shot wastefully out of frustration or proved so predictably one-footed that Arjen Robben would look ambidextrous.

Even so, his darting runs injected energy into the side, combining well with Joe Ledley to create another good opening for Campbell later on.

All in all the defeat was slightly encouraging, frustrating and infuriating at the same time.

With Liverpool at home next, for once I’m actually delighted the international break is nearly here.

We need to regroup, stay fit and stop the rot.

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