Palace boss Glasner aims dig at “smart” United star after sly move during Sunday clash

Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner has strongly implied that Matheus Cunha deceived the referee by exaggerating his contact with Maxence Lacroix during Sunday’s clash at Old Trafford. Reds go marching on United made it seven games unbeaten under Michael Carrick as they outclassed Palace 2-1 on Sunday afternoon. Palace started as the much better side, enjoying possession and limiting United’s forays into their territory. The Eagles broke the deadlock inside four minutes through Lacroix, who shook off his marker to head home from a corner-kick routine. United eventually settled and slowly began to assert themselves. Things changed dramatically shortly after the break when Bruno Fernandes’ clever pass found Cunha, allowing the Brazilian to turn Lacroix and power into the box. The Palace defender tugged Cunha’s shirt, bringing him down. After a lengthy VAR check, not only did the referee award United a penalty, but he also sent off Lacroix for the denial of a clear goalscoring opportunity. Fernandes stepped up to the spot-kick and made no mistake as he sent Dean Henderson the wrong way. Fernandes turned provider moments later, delivering a sublime ball to Benjamin Sesko, who met it with a stunning bullet header to make it 2-1 to the Red Devils. The result catapulted Carrick’s men to third place in the Premier League table. After the final whistle, Glasner was clearly unhappy with the penalty incident and suggested that Cunha deceived the match officials. Glasner’s rant The Austrian coach told reporters [as quoted by the Manchester Evening News], “The red card changed the game completely. I think it’s a very hard decision.” “The foul starts outside the box. Matheus Cunha is very smart to wait until he is inside the box and fall down.” Asked about the decision again, Glasner answered, “We spoke to the fourth official, they had to check was it offside, where does the foul start and is it a red card. There are a few different situations to judge.” “But it still feels it’s the wrong decision.” “It’s not a penalty, maybe a red card for a foul outside the box, but the foul starts outside the box. It’s maybe a little bit the Old Trafford bounce.” United return to action on Wednesday when they go away to Newcastle. Featured image Alex Livesey via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Derick Kinoti Derick Kinoti is a football writer at The Peoples Person who has covered Manchester United and the Premier League extensively for years. His work blends sharp analysis, tactical insight, and engaging storytelling that resonates with fans around the world. Derick has gained valuable experience in football journalism, developing strong expertise in SEO writing, digital content creation, and social media engagement. A tech enthusiast with a Computer Science degree from the University of Nairobi, he ultimately swapped code for football commentary, bringing an analytical, detail-oriented approach to his writing. Derick is convinced Wayne Rooney is the true GOAT and won’t hear otherwise!