“They have so much pace on the counter-attack” - Joe Cole predicts winner of Crystal Palace vs Manchester United 

Former Chelsea star Joe Cole has predicted Crystal Palace to get the better of Manchester United on Saturday (September 21). While the Red Devils haven't gotten off to the best of starts this campaign, the Eagles have also struggled to get going.

The Manchester side have picked up just six points in their four opening league fixtures of the season. Meanwhile, the Eagles have managed just two points and are 16th in the standings, six places behind their upcoming opponents.

Claiming that Crystal Palace would prove lethal on the counter-attack, Cole told Paddy Power (via Daily Post):

"They'll slip up against Crystal Palace on the weekend. It's a callous game for the United players. Palace have so much pace on the counter-attack. They're also at home, which is a notoriously tricky place to go to."

"I fancy Eberechi Eze to dominate the game in midfield. Both teams will score but I see 2-1 Palace as the final score."

Manchester United go into this tie on the back of consecutive wins across competitions. Despite a lacklustre first half, they defeated Southampton on September 14 and then thrashed Barnsley in the Carabao Cup in midweek (September 17).

On the other hand, Crystal Palace just about managed to get past Queens Park Rangers in the Carabao Cup, beating them 2-1 on Tuesday (September 17). Before that, they played out a 2-2 draw with Leicester City in the Premier League on September 14.

---

Former Crystal Palace star says no one is afraid of Manchester United ahead of Premier League weekend

Sir Alex Ferguson

Former Crystal Palace player John Salako has claimed that nobody is afraid of Manchester United anymore. He recalled the Red Devils' days under Sir Alex Ferguson when the club dominated English football for a number of years.

The Eagles will certainly not be fearing their opposition after they completed a double over them last season. At home, Crystal Palace thumped Manchester United 4-0 while managing to win 1-0 at Old Trafford.

Speaking ahead of the two clubs' weekend meeting, Salako told Football 365:

"No one is intimidated by United anymore. That's long gone. Throughout the time I played them, they were incredible. You were always intimidated. Sir Alex built an aura, an invincibility."

Ferguson was at Old Trafford from 1986 to 2013 and managed 1490 matches across competitions for the club. He won 13 Premier League trophies and the UEFA Champions League on two occasions, among other honors.