That’s all from me today. Thanks for reading and congratulations to Ralf Rangnick on kicking off his Manchester United tenure with a win. Commiserations to Crystal Palace but they won’t have too many problems this season if they keep performing like that. See you next time – Rob Smyth has Aston Villa v Leicester live, right here:

Jamie Jackson’s report from Old Trafford is here:

The Manchester United interim manager Rangnick speaks to BBC Radio 5Live: “I’m very happy with the way the team performed, the way they played, especially the first half-hour, that was exceptional, I thought. The only thing missing in that period was one or two nil ... we had control of the game ... I am very happy with the result and the clean sheet.

“I said in my first press conference, there are things we need to improve on, to get clean sheets, to get control of the game. What they [my players] showed was more than I expected, to be honest.

“Patience was important but we always tried to be on the front foot ... that’s what I liked today ... we were always trying to keep them away from goal ... We wanted to play with two strikers and with two 10s, to get more control in the centre of midfield.”

On Cristiano Ronaldo’s performance, especially defensively: “By the way, what Ronaldo did today ‘against the ball’: Chapeau.”

On Fred’s winner: “I had to ask one of my assistants if it was Fred with his right foot ... it was great what he did together with [Scott] McTominay at No 6.”

Elsewhere, Tottenham beat Norwich 3-0, and here is Ed Aarons’ report:

For Palace, although they head back to London empty-handed, it was more evidence of the progress being made under the very impressive Patrick Vieira. Ayew really should have scored from that second-half corner, and then who knows what may have happened?

Another positive sign for United was their fluency in possession, particularly before the break, when there always seemed to be an option for them. Ronaldo was exemplary, too – the only thing missing was a goal. He was a constant thorn in the side of the Palace defence and it was something of a statement performance from him, in terms of his determination to play a full part in the new Rangnick era.

After Manchester United drew 1-1 with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge last weekend, Thomas Tuchel laughed off the suggestion that United’s performance had shown the hallmarks of Rangnick. Today’s display certainly did, though, especially the way United pressed so effectively in the first half. On more than one occasion, they forced Palace into giving up possession high up the pitch, with Ronaldo playing full part in the focused, combined efforts to press the ball.

It’s a far cry from some of the shambolic attempts to press that were seen in recent months, perhaps most notably in the 5-0 thrashing by Liverpool towards the end of October.

Flying Fred.

90 min + 3: Palace aren’t finished and win a corner but they fluff the execution, the ball dropping to Zaha on the edge of the area, who miskicks completely ... will that be their last chance?

90 min +1: Palace break with pace down the left – Lindelöf is exposed one-on-one against Zaha. He chooses to chop him down and takes the booking. Olise takes the free-kick but Ronaldo, putting a real shift in, produces an excellent defensive header to clear the danger.

90 min: Maguire is now wearing a black bandage wrapped around his considerably-sized head after that clash with Éduoard. There will be five minutes of injury time. Time for a late twist?

87 min: Van de Beek wins a free-kick on Manchester United’s right wing for a foul by Tompkins. Tompkins looks disgusted with the decision, and has words with the linesman, not that it does any good or makes any difference. Telles bends an excellent delivery to the far post but Guaita manages to bat it clear.

85 min: Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise come on for Palace, with Ayew and Kouyate going off. For Manchester United, Donny van de Beek comes into the fray for Bruno Fernandes. The United fans are in fine voice as they close in on what is shaping up to be a positive start to the Rangnick era.

82 min: With Crystal Palace on the front foot, a clash of heads between Maguire and Éduoard has led to a break in play. Maguire is hurt - it looks like blood has been drawn - so he is going to be bandaged up and sent back out there, by the looks of it.

78 min: Greenwood, not long on the pitch, did really well to turn back while in the penalty area and tee up the opening goal. Fred had plenty still to do, though, and it was a beautiful first-time finish which has the Old Trafford crowd on their feet. Will that secure the first victory of the Rangnick reign?

74 min: Palace’s belief is growing – you can almost feel the nerves increasing across Old Trafford after such a positive first half. A smart sequence of passing from Vieira’s team sees Maguire cough up a corner on the United right. Tompkins does well to win a header at the far post from the corner ... the ball drops to Ayew at the far post who is no more than two yards from goal, albeit from an angle ... and he sidefoots just wide! What a chance to Crystal Palace.

70 min: Rashford storms down the left for Manchester United before the ball is worked to the opposite side of the penalty area, where Fernandes pulls off a little bit of trickery and tees up Mason Greenwood for a shot. He hits it left-footed but drags it well wide.

68 min: A free-kick for Manchester United on their right wing ... Telles hits it, curling to the far post, and it clips the top of the crossbar! But still no score as we approach the final 20 minutes. If Palace can snatch a winner here it would be a classic smash-and-grab raid.

66 min: Christian Benteke off, Odsonne Édouard comes on as Vieira freshens up his attacking options.

64 min: Palace win a corner, which is initially cleared by Manchester United. Gallagher gets the ball on the edge of the box and shoots, but it skews off the side of his left boot and out for a goal kick.

62 min: Rangnick mixes it up: Sancho off, Mason Greenwood on.

60 min: United win a corner, which is taken short. It’s worked back to Sancho, who curls a cross towards the far post, which flies harmlessly out for a goal kick.

58 min: Sancho bursts into the Palace penalty area, and lays a pass off to Rashford with the outside of his boot ... Rashford shoots from close range, with a forest of defenders in front of him, and Gallagher manages to get an important boot in the way to block the shot.

54 min: Palace build from the back and win a free-kick on the edge of the area when Fred fouls Ayew. Gallagher takes the set piece, which is in a highly dangerous spot on the angle of the area. Nervous moments for United after all their dominance before the break. From the free-kick, Kouyate heads towards goal from beyond the far post, and demands a corner, and gets it ... Gallagher takes the corner, Schlupp tries to head it from around the near post, but it flies way, way over the bar and out for a goal kick.

50 min: Ronaldo tries to get on the end of another cross but can’t quite reach it. Fernandes then plays a ball goalwards from a central area but Palace repel the danger. It’s a fairly low-key opening to the second period, with a noticeably lower tempo than much of the first half.

48 min: Both sides are feeling their way, slowly, into the second half. Manchester United stroke it around at the back, before Maguire sprays a good long pass out to the right, then eventually gets the ball back, and sends it left instead. The Manchester United centre-back gets his foot on the ball for a third time, with Palace happy not to press the ball high, and the ball eventually finds its way to Fernandes on the United right, who opts to shoot from about 25 yards out. The ball flies harmlessly high over the Palace goal.

A bit of half-time viewing for you – a collection of stunning sports photos by Gerry Cranham:

42 min: On the touchline Vieira has his hands plunged into his pockets and looks suitably concerned with how this one is unfolding so far. Having said that, Palace have steadied the ship in the last few minutes, and are building a few passages of passing of their own, after a first 30 minutes in which their defence was under relentless pressure.

40 min: Kouyate flies into a tackle in midfield and wins the ball cleanly. Palace break, and Zaha is fouled from behind by Fernandes, on the Eagles’ right. Gallagher bends the resulting free-kick into the penalty area but Maguire’s physical presence repels the danger as Benteke tries to get a header on target.

39 min: Palace enjoy a rare foray into the United half. Jordan Ayew buys the space to curl a right-footed shot which flies wide of De Gea’s left-hand post. Ayew looks annoyed with himself for not at least drawing a save from the goalie.

36 min: Fernandes, Ronaldo and Rashford link down the United left. The structure they achieving in their play, and that they are imposing on this match, must be encouraging for the club’s fans who are hoping Rangnick can fix the team’s most serious problems. Crystal Palace have hardly had a kick, while Manchester United’s passing is crisp, they always seem to have an option to pass to. They just need a goal or two to reflect their dominance of this first half.

33 min: It’s one-way traffic but United cannot, so far, find the finishing touch. Rashford tries a right-footed shot which is blocked, and balloons up on to the roof of the net for a corner. Palace clear their lines from the resulting corner. Rangnick is pictured on the touchline applauding the efforts of his team.

30 min: Clyne runs the ball out of defence for Palace but it gets away from him a touch. Fred challenges in midfield, and is clattered by a studs-up challenge from the Palace full-back, who is today playing for the first time since February. It’s a yellow card but it could have been a red, even if it was more malicious than clumsy by Clyne. Fred needs treatment and leaves the field momentarily.

28 min: Another United corner. Relentless pressure on the Palace rearguard. Fernandes tries curling a cross to the far post, from the right, but no one can get on the end of it.

26 min: Ronaldo hangs up in the air for what seems like an age to nod a long ball back into the path of Fernandes. Fernandes shoots first-time, from around the edge of the area, and Guaita dives low to his right to make the save.

24 min: United stream forward in waves again. A cross from the right flashes across the danger area which Ronaldo can’t get on the end of ... the ball comes back to Fred, who hits a good shot which looks destined for the net but is blocked. All hands on deck for Palace.

22 min: Manchester United stroke the ball around confidently in midfield. Rashford is released down the left, controls, cuts back for Ronaldo, who cracks a first-time shot straight at Guaita.

19 min: Ronaldo, who looks even more up for this than usual, now heads over the goal from around the penalty spot. Palace have had plenty of defending to do, and have done it very well so far, but it looks a matter of time before Manchester United break through.

16 min: Manchester United under Rangnick, so far, look direct and very clear about what they are all trying to do. Sancho now makes inroads down the left and tries to cross low into the penalty area ... the ball comes back into midfield, Fernandes whips a ball looking for his compatriot Ronaldo, who brings the ball down but has a shot from close range blocked out for a corner.

15 min: Palace win a corner, they take it short, and Zaha smacks it towards the far post. But the cross is overhit and goes over everybody - a waste of a really good attacking opporutunity for Vieira’s men.

12 min: Rashford wins a free-kick just outside the area, on the Manchester United left. Ronaldo lines it up, with Fernandes also looking interested. But of course it’s Ronaldo who hits it, taking his time before doing so and letting the crowd build themselves into a froth of anticipation. It’s a sweet strike over the wall but is always going high over the bar. A positive start for the hosts, anyway.

8 min: Manchester United push Palace back again. The visitors’ penalty area is packed with yellow-shirted defenders. Ronaldo finds himself with the space to whip a shot in the direction of the far post, but his effort flies well wide ... Palace take possession down to the other end and Benteke has a shot from outside the box which is straight at De Gea.

7 min: A half-chance for Benteke at the other end, a glimpse of goal for the Palace forward from the corner of the six-yard box, but the flag was up for offside.

6 min: Again, fierce Manchester United pressing wins possession back high up the field for the home team. Ronaldo shows good pace and mobility to play his part in taking the ball back ... the footballing equivalent of leaving a juicy, ripe apple on Ralf Rangnick’s desk.

4 min: Good pressing from Manchester United (which certainly hasn’t always been the case in recent weeks and months) wins it back high from Palace. Ronaldo soon has a shot which deflects out for another Manchester United corner.

3 min: Marcus Rashford is released down the United left, and is brough down by Tompkins, but instead of a free-kick it’s a corner. From the resulting set piece, Telles cracks a shot just wide from the edge of the box! Guaita watches it sail past his left-hand post, but I’m not sure he had it covered.

2 min: Benteke tries to link with Zaha for Palace early doors, but Kouyate, who started the move, has gone down injured after a challenge in midfield from Fred.

Wayne “Wazza” Rooney has just taken his place in the directors’ box at Old Trafford. The teams are about to come out on to the pitch. The Rangnick era is about to begin.

Wilfried Zaha captains Crystal Palace at Old Trafford this afternoon.

Control, control, control: Ralf Rangnick’s mantra regarding what Manchester United are missing was also an apt characterisation of a 63-year-old who having just strode into a behemoth global football club oozed calm and clarity during his first media conference as their interim manager.

A bit of other team news: Ivan Toney of Brentford has tested positive for Covid-19, and misses their trip to Leeds as a result.

“There was no reason to change the team [after the win over Arsenal] ... they need to enjoy it,” says Rangnick:

Klopp, Tuchel, Rangnick and the Premier League’s Germanification

By Andy Brassell:

“Rangnick ... inadvertently shook German football culture in December 1998 when giving a de facto seminar on a tactics board on the Saturday night institution Das Aktuelle Sportstudio, the German equivalent of Match of the Day.”

Pre-match reading, part one, from Richard Jolly: