William Knibb registered win number four on the trot in Zone D of the Inter-secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA)/Wata daCosta Cup as they blanked Cedric Titus 3-0 in a lopsided Trelawny derby at the parish’s stadium on Saturday.

Joshua Walker (36th), Jaheem Brown (50th), and Seron Williams (68th) propelled Dewight Jeremiah’s side to another three points as they remain in pole position ahead of Spot Valley, who also made it four-in-four as they blanked Muschett High 3-0 in the curtain-raiser of the double-header.

Both William Knibb and Spot Valley are on maximum 12 points, but the former continues to lead the way by virtue of a superior goal difference. Cedric Titus sit third on six points, and Discovery Bay is fourth on three points, while Muschett and Holland are yet to get on the board.

Jeremiah praised the performance of his youthful squad, which continues to grow with every game.

“The average age of the team is 14.5, but I think we learned from our last game against Discovery Bay that we had to be more creative when teams sit deep. The first goal epitomises what we did in training; we wanted all five vertical zones to be occupied when we attacked, and we had that in terms of the link up play, but the commitment that the boys showed today (Saturday) is above everything that we did, and that resulted in the clean sheet,” the tactician shared.

“Seron Williams is our second-string goalkeeper that we converted into a striker, and I think him and Jaheem Brown are just hugely technical. Joshua Walker also has an immense work rate; I played him at right back last season, and I am just teaching him to understand positional play in the middle of the park, and he soaks up everything,” he added.

Though William Knibb dominated proceedings, it was Cedric Titus that started more spiritedly as captain Terron Eccleston went on a break in the 25^th minute and was taken out by a defender at the edge of the 18-yard box. However, the resulting freekick amounted to nothing.

Eccleston again threatened three minutes later as he found space deep inside William Knibb’s quarters for a right-footed effort that just rolled wide of the left upright.

Having heeded the warnings, William Knibb launched a few attacks of their own, the first coming in the 36th when Walker finished from close range after getting on the end of a decent through pass from Koran Henriques to break the deadlock.

William Knibb should have doubled the lead in the 41st when Cedric Titus’ custodian Anthony Riley failed to gather the ball cleanly, but Prince Bernard somehow failed to convert from point blank range.

Still, with a 1-0 lead in their favour at the break, William Knibb were not disheartened and maintained their momentum on the resumption. They eventually doubled the lead five minutes in courtesy of Brown’s ferocious right-footed freekick from just over 20 yards out that had Riley beaten all ends up.

Williams pushed the game beyond Cedric Titus’ reach when Walker placed the ball perfectly into his path for a firm right-footed drive that left the hapless Riley flat-footed.

William Knibb should have had a fourth in the 76th as Riley again spilled the ball. However, Williams effort came back off the crossbar.

Cedric Titus fought on as Eccleston was sent through on goal, but their hopes of pulling one back were dashed as Camoy Phillips, in goal for William Knibb, left his line well to avert the danger.

Wade Crawford, Cedric Titus’ head coach, felt his team was lacking in all departments.

“We started the game slow and I think the game got away from us midway through the first half. It boils down to inexperience and the youngsters are learning the game; we are not as deep as we were last year so we definitely will be getting better but we need to work a little harder on our finishing. So it’s a work in progress,” he stated.

Saturday’s Results

St James High 1, Cornwall College 2

Frome vs Rusea’s (Rained out)

Grange Hill 2, Little London 1

Spot Valley 3, Muschett High 0

William Knibb 3, Cedric Titus 0

Munro 1, STETHS 1

Belair 5, Manchester High 1

May Day 2, deCarteret College 1

Mile Gully 1, Holmwood 2

Central High 1, Clarendon College 0

Garvey Maceo 2, Old Harbour 3

Kemps Hill 2, Porus 0

McGrath 1, Dinthill 1

Ocho Rios 7, York Castle 0

Defending champions Mona High extended their unbeaten run to four games in the 2024 ISSA Manning Cup on Saturday.

They secured a 3-0 victory over Charlie Smith High to move to 12 points from a possible 12 atop Zone B.

Jonathan Grant remain second in Zone B, three points behind Mona after a 1-0 win over Tarrant High.

The day’s other Zone B game saw Waterford High get their first points of the season with a massive 9-0 win over Gaynstead High.

Kingston College still hold the lead in Zone C on goal difference over Penwood after a 5-0 win over Campion College.

KC now has 10 points from four games with a goal difference of 25, 11 more than Penwood who also have 10 points after a 1-0 win over Jose Marti.

In the day’s lone Zone G encounter, St. George’s College and St. Catherine High played out a 0-0 draw.

Jamaica’s senior Reggae Girlz Head coach Hubert Busby reaffirmed his team’s commitment to continuously improve their quality as he welcomed the three crucial upcoming friendly encounters against France and South Africa to cap the year on a high.

In fact, Busby was quick to point out that the matches—away to 10th-ranked France at the Stade Auguste-Bonal on October 25, and at home against 50th-ranked South Africa on November 29 and December 2—are part of the broader plan to enhance the team’s competitiveness on the global stage. They also represent crucial stepping stones in the Reggae Girlz preparation for next year’s World Cup qualifiers.

“Playing against top-tier teams like France and South Africa is exactly the kind of fixtures we need to raise our game. It’s important that we continue to test ourselves against the best, not only to see where we stand but also to continue the growth we’ve worked so hard for over the past few years,” Busby told SportsMax.Tv.

“So, we are pleased that we will have these quality matches to close out the year heading into 2025. Obviously, France is a top 10 opponent and South Africa have been a perennial African champions and World. So to be able to play France in a very hostile environment will be difficult for us, but again, it’s a challenge that we welcome and look forward to standing up to,” he added.

The South Africa encounters will mark the first time players that paraded their skills at the 2023 Fifa Women’s World Cup in Australia will be playing on home soil since the Olympic qualifying fixture against Canada last September.

This, Busby believes, will serve as a confidence booster for the team after two 0-4 losses away to Brazil in June and what will be another tough task against France. Prior to the Brazil friendly, a fairly young and inexperienced Reggae Girlz team lost two away friendlies to Chile.

“It will be great to have the players back in Jamaica in front of the home crowd. It has been a long time since the team has been in Jamaica so we are really looking forward to those games and really looking forward to have all the supporters and fans out to cheer the team on and further lift their spirits because I know they are excited to perform at home,” Busby shared.

Reggae Girlz against France at the 2023 Women's World Cup.

For Busby, high-profile friendlies against Brazil, France, and South Africa, in particular, are testament to the progress made by the Reggae Girlz in becoming a formidable force in Concacaf.

As such, the upcoming games presents an opportunity to assess the squad's strengths and weaknesses, as well as tactics and player combinations that will benefit the team in the long run as the Girlz set their sights on bigger goals for 2025 and beyond.

“These games aren’t just about results; they’re about performance and progression. We have a clear vision of where we want to go, and games like these are crucial in refining our style of play, building team chemistry, and ensuring we’re ready to take on the challenges ahead, especially in the World Cup qualifiers,” Busby stated.

“We will look at our playing model and dissect each and every area of that model in terms of how we are in and out of possession and how we transition both offensively and defensively. So each and every window we will target an area that we want to focus on and that is something that as a staff we are looking at now and we will head into these matches with some key areas of focus as it leads into the World Cup qualifiers next year,” the tactician noted.

The 42nd-ranked Reggae Girlz have made significant strides on the international stage in recent years, qualifying for back-to-back World Cups in 2019 and 2023, and their ambition remains to continue that momentum.

The Girlz suffered two 0-4 losses in two away friendlies to Brazil in June.

Busby believes that consistent exposure to high-level competition will be pivotal in maintaining and elevating the team’s standards as they seek an historic third-consecutive World Cup appearance.

“The goal is always the same and that is for this team to qualify for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil. So everything we do now is about how we chart that path to ensure that the qualification objective is met. It is an ever-changing football landscape; teams continue to get better, so the challenge for us is to get better at a high level, and that is something that players, staff, the federation, and other stakeholders are committed to,” the former national goalkeeper declared.

Still, Busby acknowledged that the road ahead will be challenging, but he is confident in his team’s ability to rise to the occasion.

“We’re not just looking at the here and now; we’re building for the future, and I have no doubt that this team has the quality, the dedication, and the heart to achieve great things We’re building a legacy, and these matches are a part of that journey,” Busby said.

Luka Modric lauded Real Madrid's attacking ranks as the LaLiga champions fought from behind to thrash Espanyol 4-1 on Saturday.

Thibaut Courtois' blunder handed the visitors a shock lead in the 54th minute, only for Dani Carvajal to level four minutes later after Jude Bellingham's cross was spilled by Joan Garcia.

Vinicius Junior's introduction breathed life into Carlo Ancelotti's side, however, teeing up Rodrygo's first-time finish with 15 minutes remaining.

Brazil star Vinicius followed that up with a goal of his own to make it 3-1 before Kylian Mbappe sealed all three points with his third penalty in as many LaLiga games.

Madrid captain Modric still saw room for improvement but acknowledged the attacking quality Los Blancos have after moving one point behind leaders Barcelona, who visit Villarreal on Sunday.

"We played a very good game but it's true that it was difficult for us to finish plays. We created a lot of chances but we have a lot of room for improvement," Modric told Movistar Plus.

"I don't know if it was our best or not but it was a great game, from start to finish. We must continue like today. To have Vinicius, Mbappe, Bellingham and Rodrygo is awesome; they are great.

"They and the whole team are doing everything right but we still can improve; we'll keep going in the next few games until we feel we reach out true potential. This match can give us confidence."

Vinicius was left on the bench but his second-half impact saw him both score and assist in a single Madrid game as a substitute for the first time in his career across all competitions (272 games).

That set the stage for Mbappe to put the result beyond any doubt, becoming just the second Madrid player this decade to score penalties in three straight LaLiga games, after his compatriot Karim Benzema.

A fine fightback performance left Ancelotti delighted, though the Madrid head coach was still cautious, primarily due to managing Bellingham's troublesome should injury.

"We started well and reacted well after the 1-0, it was complete," Ancelotti said, as quoted by AS.

"We played better than in other games; with more rhythm and generating more opportunities. I'm happy.

"Jude has had the shoulder problem and it has resolved well. He was able to play the whole game without any problem.

"He's always played with protection. A month ago he took it off because he was fine, but he has had this problem again. I don't think it will be a problem, although it must be taken care of, obviously."

Ousmane Dembele climbed off the bench to earn Paris Saint-Germain a 1-1 draw at Reims on Saturday.

The Ligue 1 champions ensured they maintained their unbeaten start to the season, though they had to settle for a point.

Reims took an early lead when Junya Ito's clever cross into the box found his Japanese compatriot Keito Nakamura, who superbly struck home after the ball bounced off PSG captain Marquinhos.

Luis Enrique's side were desperate to equalise and midfielder Lee Kang-in had the clearest chance after Randal Kolo Muani's incisive cross, but he could not get his effort past goalkeeper Yehvann Diouf.

Yet Dembele proved decisive off the bench.

Having replaced Desire Doue in the 65th, Dembele latched on to Joao Neves's fierce cross to slot home from a tight angle and rescue a share of the spoils.

Data Debrief: PSG remain unbeatable on the road

It is now 27 Ligue 1 away games unbeaten for PSG, which is the longest such run in the competition's history.

They were not at their best this time out, though Luis Enrique will no doubt feel his team were at least worthy of a point, having seen them have 11 shots to Reims' eight, while mustering a higher xG (1.63 to 0.34).

Dembele, meanwhile, has already scored more goals in five Ligue 1 matches (four) this season than in 26 last season (three). He has been involved in six goals in the top flight this term (four goals, two assists), more than any other player.

Vinicius Junior came off the bench to score one and assist another as Real Madrid battled from behind for a 4-1 fightback victory over Espanyol in LaLiga.

Madrid dominated proceedings on Saturday but fell behind in the 54th minute after a rare blunder by goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who inadvertently deflected a low cross from Jofre into his own net.

Carlo Ancelotti's side found an equaliser just four minutes later, however, with a close-range strike by Dani Carvajal on the follow-up from Jude Bellingham's cross.

Vinicius worked his magic soon after, lifting a brilliant cross to Rodrygo – who netted with a 75th-minute first-time effort – before scoring himself with a tidy finish from a counter-attack only three minutes later.

Kylian Mbappe finished off the win from the penalty spot after substitute Endrick was fouled inside the box in the 90th minute.

Madrid remain second on 14 points, one behind leaders Barcelona, who have a game in hand and visit fourth-placed Villarreal on Sunday. 

Data Debrief: Penalty perfection for Madrid and Mbappe

Mbappe has scored three of his four goals from 12 yards in Spain's top division, making him just the second Los Blancos player to score from the penalty spot in three consecutive LaLiga matches this decade.

Former international team-mate Karim Benzema was the other Madrid player to manage to do so, between March and April 2022 (also three), and Mbappe will be hoping to follow in his countrymen's footsteps.

Vinicius' influence should not be ignored, however, with the Brazil winger scoring and assisting in the same game as a substitute for the first time in his Madrid career across all competitions (272 appearances).

That pair ensured a dominant outing for comeback kings Madrid, who accumulated a massive 4.49 expected goals (xG) to Espanyol's minimal 0.24.

Antonio Conte left Juventus "moderately satisfied" with Napoli's goalless draw on Saturday but stressed the need to make the most of attacking opportunities.

Napoli arrived in Turin on the back of a three-match winning streak in Serie A but fell short of capitalising on several good chances.

Conte's side came closest to snatching a winner, with Scott McTominay's long-range shot pushed away by Michele Di Gregorio in the first half before Romelu Lukaku failed to pounce on the rebound.

The former Inter, Chelsea and Tottenham head coach acknowledged a hard-fought point, though still saw room for improvement at Allianz Stadium.

"I realise the difficulty of getting a draw away to Juventus, a team that was 18 points away from Napoli last season," Conte told DAZN.

"We worked on this system, I am moderately satisfied with the defence, but we could’ve done far better in attack and I think we had the clearest scoring opportunities."

Striker Lukaku struggled against Juve, failing to have a single shot and managing just 18 touches before being substituted in the closing stages.

"I think we did it well with the midfielders. Romelu still needs to get into the kind of shape that I require," Conte said.

"I had asked for consistency and it was a good performance in terms of focus, but we can and must do better when we have the ball, as there were some favourable situations."

Reflecting on his past tenure at Juve from 2011 to 2014, Conte acknowledged the challenge of playing at Allianz Stadium.

"I know it is not easy to play here, which is why I made this stadium a fortress during my time," he concluded.

Napoli host Monza in next round of games after they face Palermo in the second round of Coppa Italia on Thursday.

Juventus head coach Thiago Motta was impressed by Napoli's courageous showing as the pair shared a goalless Serie A draw on Saturday.

Motta's team started their campaign with two convincing 3-0 wins against Como and Verona but have failed to score in the league since, recording three 0-0 draws so far in September.

The Napoli result marked just the fifth time Juventus have been held to three straight draws in Serie A history, with the last such instance coming in May 1992 under boss Giovanni Trapattoni.

It also proved just the second occasion this decade of Juventus failing to find the net for three games in a row in Serie A, along with a run between February and March 2011 with Luigi Delneri in charge.

Motta apportioned some credit to Antonio Conte's visitors, though was frustrated with parts of the hosts' showing.

"I expected this attitude, although they played at our home and I didn't expect them to be as courageous as they normally are," Motta said at the post-match press conference.

"[Whether it was] their strategy or our merit, we found ourselves with the team with a low defensive block in the penalty area and therefore difficult to attack.

"It's not a question of filling [the box] but of attacking it at the right time.

"We faced a team that knows how to defend the penalty area well. When a team closes up, it's not easy to score.

"In my opinion, we did better than in the match against Roma. Inside the box, it was difficult against a team that defends well. We had a good performance but not enough to win."

Juventus finished the game with only one shot on target and striker Dusan Vlahovic, goalless in his fourth consecutive game across all competitions, was substituted at half-time.

"It's difficult to win without scoring, we needed an extra contribution from us midfielders too," said Bianconeri midfielder Weston McKennie.

"[Vlahovic] won't be happy but the whole team must put him in a position to score."

Juventus travel to 11th-placed Genoa next Saturday before they visit RB Leipzig in the Champions League on October 2.

James Sands equalised five minutes into second-half stoppage time as New York City fought back for a 1-1 draw with Inter Miami in MLS on Saturday.

Miami entered the game with an eight-point lead over the chasing pack in the Supporters' Shield standings, but they opened the door to their rivals by letting a lead slip at the death.

Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez returned to their lineup after being rested in their midweek draw with Atlanta United, but it was substitute Leonardo Campana who put them on the brink of victory with his goal 15 minutes from time, only for Sands to rescue a point for the hosts.

New York started brighter and saw Santiago Rodriguez strike the post with a curling free-kick early on, before Matt Freese was called into action by Messi at the other end.

The first half saw few other clear-cut opportunities, then Keaton Parks and Alonso Martinez both went close for Nick Cushing's hosts in the early stages of the second period.

But it was Gerardo Martino's men who went ahead in the 75th minute, with Jordi Alba cutting the ball back for substitute Campana to convert.

There was a twist to come five minutes into stoppage time, however, with Sands getting across his man to head Rodriguez's corner home. It was his first goal in MLS, sparking wild celebrations at Yankee Stadium. 

Data Debrief: Miami fall short of record pace

Miami approached Saturday's game with 63 points from their first 29 games of the MLS campaign, and with Messi and Suarez restored to their lineup, they will have fancied their chances of earning a place in history.

The only previous team to collect 66 points through 30 matches of a regular season was the New England Revolution, who did so in their record-breaking 2021 campaign.

Miami were on the brink of matching that pace before Sands popped up with his late intervention, maintaining NYCFC's strong record against the Herons.

They have only lost one of their 11 all-time meetings with Miami (seven wins, three draws), with the last three matches between the teams all finishing level.

Erik ten Hag cut a frustrated figure after watching Manchester United dominate Crystal Palace without reward, saying his side "ate them alive".

United accumulated 1.64 expected goals (xG) to Palace's 1.07, with 1.4 of that xG coming in the first half for the visitors, though the spoils were shared in a goalless draw at Selhurst Park.

Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson provided an inspired performance against his former side on Saturday, making seven saves, while Ten Hag's team were denied by the woodwork on three occasions.

Alejandro Garnacho struck the woodwork after 27 minutes, with Bruno Fernandes sending the rebound over via the top of the crossbar, as United passed up numerous opportunities.

"When we don't win, I'm not content," United manager Ten Hag said after Saturday's Premier League draw. 

"We should have won. I think first half, we ate them alive. Then in the second half, it was more in the balance but first half, we should have scored one or two goals."

This was just the fourth goalless draw United have been held to under Ten Hag in the Premier League (81 games), and the first since drawing 0-0 with Liverpool in December 2023.

There was almost a different ending, however, as Andre Onana expertly denied Ismaila Sarr from point-blank range after pushing away Eddie Nketiah's rasping drive towards the bottom-right corner.

Eberechi Eze also steered a glorious opening wide from substitute Sarr's cutback, though Ten Hag will feel the least his side deserved was a point that leaves them 11th in the league.

"We played very good [in the first half], total control of the game, in and out of possession we played very good," the former Ajax boss added. 

"The only thing was in the box – and in the box is the game decider – we should be more clinical there.

"They closed the midfield more and had good counter-attacks. It was more difficult for us to get through and they got more space and had some good counters."

Ten Hag reserved special praise for Onana, who has kept four clean sheets in the last six Premier League games, one more than United managed in their previous 24 matches beforehand.

"A brilliant save from Andre – twice in one action," the Dutchman added.

After thrashing Werder Bremen 5-0 to continue their perfect start to the Bundesliga season, Bayern Munich will celebrate with a trip to Oktoberfest, head coach Vincent Kompany has revealed.

Bayern ran out comfortable winners on Saturday to move up to 12 points from four matches and, with a week to go before their next game against champions Bayer Leverkusen, the league leaders have some time to unwind.

Asked if his team would visit Munich's famed beer festival this week, Kompany told reporters: "We've got to respect every game, and it was important today that we won this game.

"The players are, of course, allowed to be happy and satisfied and then tomorrow is tradition. We have to respect tradition as well.

"We're going to go to Oktoberfest and we've got to have a bit of fun as well and then as of Monday, it'll all be about Leverkusen, the preparation for that game."

The one-sided win over Bremen took Bayern's tally for the past week up to 20 goals, with Kompany's side scoring six in a league win over newly promoted Holstein Kiel last Saturday before demolishing Dinamo Zagreb 9-2 in a midweek Champions League clash.

"I'm very happy. It was important to prepare well for this tricky game," Kompany said. "The boys did really well. 

"For us the pressure is always there to win and play well. When it works out like today, it's good for us. The atmosphere was great. It was simply a good game for us."

Michael Olise, signed from Premier League club Crystal Palace for a reported fee of €60million in July, scored two goals and set up two more in the win.

Kompany praised the French winger's performance, adding: "He's a special talent. It's a luxury at Bayern to have so many good players. Michael did very well.

"His start at Bayern couldn't be much better. He has to keep going this way. I haven't got the feeling that he's a player who feels much pressure. He just enjoys football."

Girona slumped to a surprise 2-0 defeat at struggling Valencia on Saturday as an own goal by Juanpe and a deflected strike from Dani Gomez gave the hosts their first win of the season in LaLiga. 

The victory moved Valencia from bottom to 18th on four points, one ahead of Getafe and two ahead of Las Palmas. 

Last year's surprise package Girona, meanwhile, are 13th on seven points from their first six games of the campaign, having also lost their Champions League opener at Paris Saint-Germain in midweek.

Valencia dominated proceedings from the early stages but needed 56 minutes to break the deadlock, with Gomez's long-range strike deflecting off Juanpe and wrong-footing Girona goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga.

The hosts had daylight just two minutes later as Gomez slotted a finish inside the left-hand post from the edge of the box, and Michel's men were unable to respond as they suffered their third defeat of the season.

Data Debrief: Efficiency key for Valencia

Valencia only recorded one shot on target in a match low on high-quality chances, with both teams' total expected goals (xG) figures adding up to just 0.77 xG.

This is the first time since at least the 2003-04 season, when Opta records began, that they have won a match in LaLiga, and scored twice, when only managing one shot on target.

Paulo Fonseca has urged patience as he looks to build his Milan squad, with Sunday's derby clash against Inter next up.

The Portuguese coach is under mounting pressure following a disappointing start to the season.

A 3-1 home defeat to Liverpool in the Champions League on Tuesday has compounded the scrutiny, putting Fonseca's position in jeopardy.

In Serie A, Milan have garnered five points from four matches, scoring nine goals but conceding six, with defending champions Inter having eight points ahead of the Derby della Madonnina.

"There's frustration at the moment but there is also the conviction of wanting to get out of this situation. I have confidence in the team," Fonseca told reporters on Saturday.

"In the past few days, they've worked fantastically. Strong players arrived during the transfer window and we have leaders here but we're still not a strong side.

"We need time but I'm not looking for excuses."

Fonseca praised Liverpool's performance in Milan's last game, and suggested the Reds are a team his Milan side are aspiring to replicate.

"Liverpool is a good example of a team. They conceded after three minutes but they didn’t change,” he said.

"What I want is to see my players have the same confidence. Nothing must change if we make a mistake or we concede a goal.

"This is the self-confidence I want to see in my players. They can do the same and Liverpool are a great example of that."

Milan enter the derby with a poor record, having lost their last six matches against Inter.

"For us, it's an important and difficult match. We'll be up against a very good side but we need to think positively; a win would be worth a lot," Fonseca said.

"We've prepared for the match based on our opponents, who are strong, but we want to play according to our principles. We'll need to mark better and score more than them," he said.

Manchester United were held to a frustrating goalless draw away at Crystal Palace as Erik ten Hag's visitors failed to make their dominance count in Saturday's Premier League clash.

Ten Hag's side were hammered 4-0 in this exact top-flight fixture last season and, though improving for this clash, the United manager will have left Selhurst Park disappointed at the result once more.

Alejandro Garnacho and Bruno Fernandes were both denied by the woodwork in the first half, the latter on the rebound from the Argentina winger's initial attempt, as United squandered numerous opportunities.

Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson frustrated his former side throughout, parrying away twice more from Garnacho and thwarting centre-back pairing Matthijs de Ligt and Lisandro Martinez from set-piece openings.

However, Oliver Glasner's hosts could have snatched victory as Andre Onana produced a superb follow-up stop to deny Ismaila Sarr from point-blank range before Eberechi Eze steered wide in the closing stages.

Palace remain winless in the league and sit 16th, two points clear of the relegation zone, while United are 11th after a stop-start opening to the 2024-25 term.

Data Debrief: Goal-shy United miss chance

United will leave Selhurst Park knowing they should have triumphed here, accumulating 1.64 expected goals (xG) to Palace's 1.07, though the hosts' tally was boosted by a flurry of late chances.

It was in the opening period where Ten Hag's men dominated, registering 1.4 xG in the first half of this game, a stark contrast to their 0.24 xG after the interval.

Those attacking struggles may be apportioned to the brilliance of Henderson, whose seven saves were the most in a Premier League game for Palace without conceding since Vicente Guaita against Newcastle United in January 2023.

Visiting captain Fernandes will also have a sense of frustration with this outcome, attempting more shots without scoring (17) than any other player across Europe's big five leagues this season.

Russell Martin was left “angry and frustrated” after Southampton conceded a stoppage-time equaliser to draw 1-1 with Ipswich Town.

Martin's team took an early lead through Tyler Dibling after five minutes and held on until the 95th minute, when Ipswich’s Sam Morsy fired home to level the scores.

Southampton had accrued an expected goals (xG) total of 2.49 while fending off the majority of their opponent’s 13 shots, six of which were on target.

However, they were left to reflect on a frustrating result at home to a fellow newly promoted outfit.

"There are so many things to be positive about. It was our best performance, but it wasn't enough to get the win, so I'm allowed to be angry and annoyed," the Southampton boss told Match of the Day.

"We allowed them a header just before the corner where they scored from the second phase. We didn't stick to our principles in the details, and that's about having enough experience to get through, and we didn't do it.

"There was so much good stuff but the overriding feeling is being disappointed. We made a few fundamental errors that we haven't done in training so it has to be down to the anxiety.

"There were so many positives but I'm frustrated and angry because of the lateness of their goal and the feeling that we deserved to win, but that's football and these things happen.”

Martin’s adversary in the dugout, Kieran McKenna, believed Ipswich deserved the point despite conceding several good chances, and they have now accrued the highest expected goals against figure in the Premier League this season (11.49 xGA).

Despite registering 1.68 xG themselves, they became only the fifth side in Premier League history to have each of their first three goals in a single campaign come from outside the box.

"It was a fantastic way to finish the game. For the captain to step up and strike it well and for the goal to come in front of the away supporters to get a point is a great thing for the group to go through,” said McKenna.

"I thought we deserved a point. We started much better but were undone with a real piece of quality from Adam Lallana. Against a team away from home, pushing for their first win was not easy, but we kept doing the right things.

"It's a massive thing to go through and builds on what we have done over the last few years. Scoring late goals and never giving up has been a massive part of our success, so for a new group, it's good for them to go through that today.

"We're edging in the right direction, but we have to keep improving. It's about keep developing as a team, keep improving and the points will take care of themselves."