Barclays Premier League: Crystal Palace 1-2 Manchester United - as it happened

Full time: Crystal Palace 1-2 Manchester United

Manchester United hang on for the three points to go within a win of securing a Champions League spot. Defeat for Liverpool at Chelsea tomorrow will secure that top four spot.

Well that is all we have time for on this Premier League live text. We are back tomorrow with two more games including Man City v QPR and Chelsea against Liverpool.

Herrera and Falcao combine delightfully but Speroni is equal to the volley from the Spaniard. Into four added minutes.

Another chance for Palace and another fine save from De Gea. Murray brings the ball down and smashes a volley goalwards and the Spaniard makes a good low stop. Now Palace want a penalty after Dann's header hits Fellaini but replays show it struck his head.

Paddy McNair on for the injured Chris Smalling. Third injury of the afternoon for United. Less than seven minutes left for Palace to find an equaliser.

Goal: Crystal Palace 1-2 Manchester United (Marouane Fellaini)

After all that Palace pressure, it is a soft goal which sees United back into the lead with 12 minutes. Ashley Young cross deep from the left and after Speroni comes out and collides with Delaney, Fellaini is on hand to nod into an empty net.

United bite back straight away and they almost retake the lead as Ashley Young's mazy run ends with a deflected shot which wrong-foots Speroni and goes agonisingly wide.

What a chance! Murray wins the first header and after getting the ball back from Dann he is clean through on goal by De Gea makes a fine save to deny him. How big might that be come the end of the season? Now Zaha comes in on a volley from a brilliant McArthur cross but De Gea saves.

Mid-way through the second half and you can't call it at this stage. Palace look like threatening every time they get on the ball in the United half while the visitors are slowly tip-toeing their back into this game after being blown away after half time.

It's all about Crystal Palace at the moment and they almost create another opening by Bolasie's cross is beyond Jedinak. United are rattled without their captain.

United have not got going in this second half and they could even be behind. Chris Smalling gets disposed bringing the ball out of defence and the ball breaks to McArthur who passes up a chance to play the ball right but his effort with the outside of his right foot goes wide. Big chance.

Goal: Crystal Palace 1-1 Manchester United (Jason Puncheon)

Palace defy the injustice and level immediately. Puncheon has been on the field just 12 minutes but he has had a big impression and his free-kick from the left-hand channel flicks off Daley Blind, who fails to jump, and beyond David de Gea.

Crystal Palace should have a penalty. Michael Oliver did well to spot the handball in the first half but he has missed a clear foul by Juan Mata on Jason Puncheon after the winger turned inside. Poor decision and a potentially match-changing one.

Half a chance for Crystal Palace as Bolasie cross and Murray gets ahead of Chris Smalling and finds the side-netting with his toe-poked effort. No danger for De Gea but a sign things are improving for the hosts.

Change for Manchester United as Wayne Rooney, who has been undergoing a fitness test for much of the half-time period, is removed after suffering a thigh problem for much of the first 45 minutes and is replaced by Radamel Falcao. Jason Puncheon, who was a surprise omission from the starting line-up, comes on.

Half time: Crystal Palace 0-1 Manchester United

Manchester United are taking a giant stride towards the Champions League with Juan Mata giving them the half-time lead over Crystal Palace. Scott Dann was the guilty man, handling Ashley Young's cross and Mata took full advantage to end's United's penalty hoodoo. Palace have been threatening at time but lack the intensity of the team with something genuinely to play for.

Palace staging a late revival at the end of this first half and they almost force an equaliser as Bolasie crosses but Jedinak coming onto the ball has it taken away from his path by Murray, who can't get his shot away.

Play restarts and United want a second penalty almost immediately as Rooney's directs Young's cross onto the hand of Delaney, after the ball deflects onto his arm off his leg. Nothing doing there but another chance comes United's way as Herrera's cross goes over Rooney and then bounces off Fellaini at the back post.

Problem for Luke Shaw who has gone down with blood on his shirt. The blow comes after an accidental elbow from McArthur and England international is unable to continue after being assessed by the United club doctor, and Jonny Evans will come on. Shaw's much disrupted campaign continues.

Yannick Bolasie has been a peripheral figure in the opening 35 minutes and his afternoon doesn't get much better after he wins the ball after beating Luke Shaw but under pressure from Marouane Fellaini he miss-controls the ball the it goes out of play.

Palace have come back into the game somewhat since going behind and they nearly level through a clever move from a set-piece. A free-kick is floated in towards Dann whose header looks for the run of Glenn Murray but the Palace forward can't rein it in and the chance is gone.

Goal: Crystal Palace 0-1 Manchester United (Juan Mata)

Michael Oliver is not a popular man in south London with the home faithful but it is hard to argue having seen the replays. Ashley Young's cross hits the arm of Scott Dann, who misjudges the flight of the cross and the referee makes a good call to point to the spot. After a wretched recent run from the spot, Juan Mata is elected to take the spot kick and he makes no mistake with a calm finish which Speroni gets a hand to.

Penalty to Manchester United

First effort in anger from either side and it comes from United. Daley Blind takes aim from 30 yards and Speroni turns the ball away with help from the left-hand post.

Half the challenge when covering Manchester United this season is working out what formation Louis van Gaal is looking to employ. The visitors have begun with four at the back, with Phil Jones and Chris Smalling partnered at centre-back. The five across the midfield see Daley Blind at the base and Ashley Young and Juan Mata to the left and right. Wayne Rooney leads the attack.

Under way at Selhurst Park. Lovely early summers day in south London.

Teams in the tunnel at a sun decked Selhurst Park. Palace have never beaten United in the Premier League and have scored just once. Big challenge against a United side who must win today after a week where they signed Memphis Depay.

Results today has guaranteed Crystal Palace's status in the top flight for next season. Alan Pardew took over a team in the bottom three in January and has turned them around inside four months. It has been a brilliant effort from the former Newcastle boss and therefore they enter today's game without the pressure of looking over their shoulder and can enter the game in a carefree attitude.

Without wanting to dismiss the narrative around Crystal Palace's attempts to break into the top half before the end of the season, the real story today surrounds Manchester United and their hopes of reaching the Champions League. A win will pile pressure on Liverpool ahead of their trip to champions Chelsea, knowing defeat at Stamford Bridge will end their challenge. Dropped points, the door remains open for the team from Merseyside.

So a look at both line-ups. Palace have not scored since putting four past Sunderland and they leave out Jason Puncheon. Pape Souare, Miles Jedinak and Glenn Murray come in for The Eagles in the three changes made by Alan Pardew.

Michael Carrick is out for the rest of the season but there are further absentees for United as Angel di Maria and Robin van Persie miss out through injury and illness. Luke Shaw and Phil Jones are fit again with Paddy McNair also missing out.

Team news

Crystal Palace v Manchester United

Crystal Palace: Speroni; Ward, Dann, Delaney, Souare; Jedinak (C), Ledley, McArthur; Zaha, Bolasie; Murray.

Manchester United: De Gea, Valencia, Jones, Smalling, Shaw, Blind, Herrera, Mata, Fellaini, Young, Rooney

After Burnley become the first team to be relegated from the Premier League, attention turns to the fight for a top four place. Manchester United can take a giant step towards the the Champions League with victory at a Crystal Palace side who are still keen on finishing in the top half despite losing their last three in a row. Team news and updates on the way from Selhurst Park.