Manchester United - Crystal Palace live updates

Full-time: Manchester United 2-0 Crystal Palace. That was not a bundle of laughs. United actually played better than often, their link-up play around the box almost exciting at various moments. But too often, their final ball was useless or their shooting profligate. Palace, meanwhile, arrived on time, and that's about it.

The North Stand lower now has more empty than filled seats. Such is the genius of Van Gaal.

It's nearly over!

There shall be three minutes of endurance time.

United's crossing has been as miserable as ever tonight, and Depay punts one right into Speroni gloves as though doing so deliberately.

A pass, a bit of light aerobic exercise, some token cheering, liberal quantities of incompetence and basic competence.

There could scarecely be less coming to pass.

Phut, sputter, hisssssssss.

Van Gaal is really going for it now - Fellaini comes on for Rooney, and so say all of us.

Palace have had a really pleassant leisurely evening jog.

Adebayor is finally rescued, Connor "Chief" Wickham thrown on in his stead.

United pass backwards and forwards but mainly sideways, then Rooney slams a long pass into touch.

On comes Herrera, off goes Lingard.

United win a corner and achieve nothing from it. But Smalling stays forward, and when Martial crosses from the right, he glances a header wide.

This game is flapping like a goldfish taken out of its bowl: it's trying to convince itself that it's not all over, but it patently is.

Palace find Adebayor pulling left, but Smalling is having no such thing, motoring alongside to relieve him of possession with minimum effort.

United knock it around hoping to pull Palace out of position, labouring under the misapprehension that their visitors can be bothered with the running that that entails.

McArthur comes on for Cabaye, who makes his most significant contribution of the evening in trotting off.

Off goes Rashford, on comes Memphis.