They are now second on the league table, five points behind leaders Leicester City and are in with a genuine chance of winning their first top division title since 1961.
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Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has likened teen sensation Marcus Rashford to another of his former teen stars in Patrick Kluivert.
Mauricio Pochettino’s men, who now sit second in the Premier League table behind leaders Leicester City, have been hailed as the top flight’s most balanced team this season, with their 4-0 win at Stoke City on Monday earning plaudits from all quarters.
United enjoyed 66 per cent possession in the victory and registered 10 shots on target, forcing Julian Speroni into making a number of top saves.
Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal claims there is little difference between his side and title-chasing Tottenham. So Crystal Palace is too important a game for us to rotate for the semi-final. In this season we have attacked in every game but maybe in a slow tempo sometimes. “I have to select 18 players and I have now 24 players fit so I have to disappoint six players and that is not fine for a manager”. “And that is not good for Manchester United or Everton”.
However, the club are unbeaten in four games and the point gained at Arsenal on Sunday took them to 39 points – nine clear of Sunderland.
“But the young players, they are not ready”.
“We have to work very hard to reach this level because we have a very full season”, he added.
Overcoming West Ham in last week’s FA Cup quarter-final replay started a turnaround that continued with back-to-back Premier League wins at home to Aston Villa and Crystal Palace. And even van Gaal, a man increasingly renowned for bonkers footballing decisions, is aware of this.
Palace put together a fine FA Cup run earlier in the season and booked a semi-final showdown with Watford.
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Marcus Rashford, who has scored seven goals since bursting onto the scene in February, again seems likely to feature with Van Gaal having eased the teenager’s training load to avoid fatigue.
