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IMAGES from the Premier League matches played on Sunday.
Manchester United's woeful home form this season continued as they slumped to a 2-0 defeat by Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Sunday.
Despite United chasing a fourth successive win in all competitions, Palace were much the better side in the first half at Old Trafford, passing up several chances to capitalise on their superiority.
The visitors did make one count after 64 minutes, Jean-Philippe Mateta reacting first after the ball had come off the crossbar to give his side a deserved lead.
United upped the ante in search of an equaliser but lacked ideas, with Mateta condemning the hosts to a seventh home league loss this term with a late second, helping Palace climb above 13th-placed United into 12th in the standings.
"The result is really bad," United manager Ruben Amorim told Sky Sports. "The performance was a little bit better than the last games. We controlled the transitions quite well for Crystal Palace.
"It's normal for the fans to feel negative, it is a hard season for them but football can change in certain moments. I will prepare the next game and move forward. Better things will come."
United came into Sunday's encounter on the back of their best run under Amorim, having secured a third successive win in all competitions at Steaua Bucharest on Thursday.
Amorim has, however, yet to taste back-to-back league wins since he took charge in late November. No United manager since Tommy Docherty in 1972-73 has had to wait so long to achieve that.
After a pre-match tribute to those who died in the Munich air disaster 67 years ago, Kobbie Mainoo, playing in an unfamiliar central striker role, went close to giving United the perfect start, striking the post with a deflected shot.
Palace, in fine away form having won four of their previous five on the road, looked the more threatening early on, with defenders Daniel Munoz and Tyrick Mitchell going close to an opener.
The visitors continued to press, with Mateta denied by a brilliant save from Andre Onana as halftime approached.
Needing improvement after again failing to score in the first half of a league match – now 18 goalless opening periods in 24 this season – United pushed forward after the break.
Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson was finally called into action, denying Bruno Fernandes and Manuel Ugarte with smart saves, but Mateta’s close-range finish, after Maxence Lacroix’s header had hit the crossbar, was what the visitors’ endeavour merited.
For all their pressure, United openings failed to materialise, with Mateta finishing off a Palace counter in the 89th minute to send the away supporters into raptures.
United have now lost seven of their first 13 league home matches this season, their joint-most at this stage of a league campaign, along with 1893-94.
United defender Lisandro Martinez was carried off on a stretcher in the second half with what looked like a serious knee injury.
Spurs snap losing streak with win at Brentford
Tottenham Hotspur bounced back from a four-game losing streak in the Premier League with a vital 2-0 win at Brentford on Sunday thanks to Vitaly Janelt's own goal and Pape Sarr's late strike.
The first half was frantic at times but low on quality, with the deadlock broken when Spurs captain Son Heung-min's whipped corner bounced in off Janelt as he was grappling with Yves Bissouma in the 29th minute.
The Bees began the second half rapidly and Yoane Wissa skimmed the bar from close range, as Spurs were largely penned back in their own half as they pursued of a much-needed win.
But Brentford never really threatened an equaliser, with a succession of crosses and corners coming to nothing and Spurs goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky was rarely tested after the break.
Spurs had dropped a league-high 21 points from winning positions and not won a league game by a single goal this season, but they defended doggedly in the face of Brentford pressure.
Substitute Sarr nutmegged goalkeeper Hakon Valdimarsson with a lovely finish to secure the three points, though the away fans still chanted "we want Levy out" at chairman Daniel Levy.
The victory was only Spurs' second win in 12 league games and moved them up to 14th with 27 points.
The result boosted Spurs hopes of turning around their season, which rests largely on Thursday's trip to Anfield for the second leg of their League Cup semi-final against Liverpool followed by Sunday's FA Cup fourth-round tie at Aston Villa.
Brentford, meanwhile, had been unbeaten at home this season before falling to four losses in their last five home league games. They remain 11th with 31 points from 24 games.
