Fred scores winner as Manchester United beat Crystal Palace in Ralf Rangnick's first game in charge

This was hardly a reincarnation of Manchester United but it was an improvement and on this occasion it was just about enough.

Much of it was probably to be expected. Under the guidance of their new interim manager Ralf Rangnick, United began the afternoon full of newly-found vim, vigour and vitality before finding it desperately hard to keep all that going. Over the course of the game, the quality of their football waned and with that went much of their early threat.

But they were the better team. There were no moments of haphazard self-harm and just when they needed it most they scored a very good goal through their much-maligned midfielder Fred.

Fred scored his second goal of the season as Manchester United beat Crystal Palace 1-0 at Old Trafford on Sunday

The much-maligned Brazilian had only scored three goals in his previous 87 Premier League appearances

United had lost their way a little bit with 13 minutes left and Crystal Palace had just wasted the best chance of the game through Jordan Ayew. But after United built play carefully down the right side, Fred arrived to deliver a superb right-footed shot across and above Palace goalkeeper Vicente Guaita and into the net from 25 yards.

It was a goal that deserved to win a better game than this one but its importance was clear to United, their manager and indeed their scorer. Fred cost £50million when he arrived at Old Trafford during the Jose Mourinho years and has often seemed to embody the sense of chaos that has engulfed this club for so long.

Last Thursday, as Rangnick watched United beat Arsenal from the stands, Fred had been typically erratic. Here, he was better and was not alone in that. Cristiano Ronaldo did not score but contributed one of his most complete recent performances. Bruno Fernandes was impressive too, as were both of United’s full backs, Diogo Dalot and Alex Telles.

Ralf Rangnick's reign as Manchester United interim manager began with a 1-0 win against Crystal Palace at Old Trafford

The 63-year-old said he wanted his players to be positive and aggressive and his players responded in the first half 

However, the German had warned before the game it will take time for his philosophy to bear dividends at Old Trafford

So there was something for Rangnick to take away from this game other than three points. He said on Friday that it will take time to turn United into the modern force he would like them to be. He wants them to press the ball and be proactive. He wants them to live in the opponents’ half and to control games. It will be quite a change, if it works.

Here during a terrific opening half-hour, United did all of those things. They created chances and should probably have won the game there and then. But that kind of football requires exceptional physical and mental fitness. That is why Jurgen Klopp calls his Liverpool team the ‘mentality monsters’. Over the whole course of this game, United came up short. But they did deserve what they took even if Rangnick will know that things could have taken a disastrous turn a couple of minutes before his team took the lead.

Palace had played on the counter-attack all afternoon and not always by choice. But encouraged by the scoreline, Patrick Vieira’s team were beginning to sense opportunity when they won a corner in the 75th minute.

The delivery to the far post found central defender James Tomkins in half a yard of space and when he headed the ball back across goal, Ayew should have volleyed it in rather than back in the direction whence it came.

Had Ayew scored then VAR might have become involved. He looked marginally offside during the replays. Regardless, he should have done his bit and will have spent much of last night wondering just how on earth he hadn’t.

Much earlier in the afternoon, Ayew and his Palace attacking colleagues barely saw the ball. Wilfried Zaha was menacing down the left and one neat link-up with the generally average Christian Benteke saw David De Gea stoop to field a low shot.

Cristiano Ronaldo led the line for Manchester United and went close to opening the scoring in the first half 

But the Portuguese cut a frustrated figure as he failed to break the deadlock in the second half 

That apart, the early periods of the game were an exercise in survival for the visitors.

Rangnick had only had one full training session with his players before this game. Most of the first team were absent on Friday after their exertions the night before against Arsenal. So to expect a complete transformation in style was unrealistic.

But there was at least a sense of willingness from United. Ronaldo was everywhere early on, leading the press, threatening goal, winning headers and setting up team-mates. 

One moment saw the 36-year-old close down an opponent and his effort was immediately followed by a thunderous challenge from Scott McTominay. Old Trafford rose to its feet as one. 

Patrick Vieira saw his Crystal Palace team slump to a third consecutive defeat in the Premier League

United really should have scored during this period. Fred was denied by a Tomkins block and Fernandes by goalkeeper Guaita. Ronaldo, meanwhile, was off target with a free-kick and a typically athletic header. Then, as the first half closed, Dalot cut in from the right to drive a shot over.

By that point there had been an undeniable drop in the energy of United’s football. Nor did they really rediscover it in a second period that was marginally more even.

But at least there was none of the maddening vulnerability that has so characterised their football this season. In the stands they sang Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s name but here was more evidence of just why Rangnick’s predecessor needed to go.

This was only a third Premier League clean sheet for United this season and it was enough to get the club’s in-house broadcaster excited. On MUTV they were talking about Rangnick’s team winning every one of their next eight league games. That sounds rather optimistic but at Old Trafford the direction of the conversation has finally turned. 

Palace had their best chance of the game after 67 minutes when Jordan Ayew fired a shot just wide of the post

The Palace forward was inches away from giving the visitors the lead as they looked for a third straight win at Old Trafford

David De Gea kept a first clean sheet in the Premier League at Old Trafford this season as United beat Palace 1-0

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