Manchester United, the reigning EFL Cup champions, are set to begin their title defense in a third-round clash against Crystal Palace. The fixture, scheduled for tonight at Old Trafford, marks the resumption of EFL Cup action.
For Manchester United, the start of Erik ten Hag’s second season at the helm hasn’t been entirely smooth. While they impressed in the 2022/23 campaign, securing the EFL Cup and a third-place finish in the Premier League, their current season has seen some ups and downs. Despite losing four out of seven games, they recently returned to winning ways with a 1-0 victory against Burnley.
Crystal Palace, on the other hand, closely trails Manchester United in the Premier League standings by just one point and one place. The Eagles have had a mixed start to their Premier League campaign, with two wins, two draws, and two losses in their first six fixtures. Additionally, they’ve already made an impact in the EFL Cup, staging a remarkable comeback from two goals down to defeat Plymouth Argyle 4-2 in the second round.
In tonight’s other third-round fixtures, Bradford City will host Middlesbrough, Exeter will face Luton, Ipswich will confront Wolverhampton Wanderers, Peterborough will travel to Mansfield, Port Vale will host Sutton, and Salford will entertain Burnley.
