Marouane Fellaini took advantage of a goalkeeping howler as Manchester United overcame a wobble to win 2-1 at Crystal Palace and close in on Champions League qualification.
The Belgian midfielder guided into an empty net 12 minutes from time after Julian Speroni failed to deal with Ashley Young's cross.
Jason Puncheon had come off the bench to level with a deflected free kick for the Eagles followingJuan Mata's first-half opener from the spot.
The Red Devils had missed their previous two spot-kicks and had not scored in three matches until the Spaniard coolly converted from 12 yards after Scott Dann was adjudged to have handled Young's centre.
The result means United end a run of three straight defeats and are now seven points clear of fifth-placed
Liverpool. They will qualify for next season's Champions League if the Merseysiders lose at champions Chelsea on Sunday.
Van Gaal had been deprived of Angel Di Maria (training injury) and Robin van Persie (virus) in the lead up to the game and they suffered more injury woe when Luke Shaw was carried off on a stretcher following a first-half head injury.
Wayne Rooney also picked up a knock and did not return for a barnstorming second half which saw David De Gea produce two astonishing saves to keep out Glenn Murray.
The impressive Puncheon also had a big penalty shout turned down when Mata appeared to clip him in the area, but Palace could not snare the second equaliser their performance probably deserved and they are left to lament Speroni's moment of madness.
KEY MOMENTS
Pre-match: No Robin van Persie (virus) or Angel Di Maria (injured in training) in Man United's squad as they make two changes from the loss at home to West Brom. Luke Shaw and Phil Jones come in. Palace include Wilfried Zaha in their starting XI as he faces the Red Devils for the first time since he left Old Trafford to rejoin Palace permanently in the January window. Pardew makes three changes from the loss at Chelsea as Pape Souare, Mile Jedinak and Glenn Murray are restored to the line-up.
8' - MAN UNITED CHANCE! Daley Blind drifts into space and fizzes in a low 30-yard drive that Julian Speroni touches onto the post.
19' - GOAL! PALACE 0-1 MAN UNITED. Mata fires a low spot-kick into the bottom corner to beat Speroni who guessed the right way but couldn't quite get to it. Palace feel aggrieved but it looked like Scott Dann did lean into Ashley Young's left-wing cross with his arm.
39' - SHAW BLOW: Luke Shaw is carried off on a stretcher with a head injury after being caught by James McArthur. Jonny Evans comes on. It really has been an injury-plagued first season at United for Shaw. He's made just 20 appearances.
46' - ROONEY REPLACED: Bad news for United as Rooney couldn't shake off his knock despite running through some stretches during the interval. Falcao will replace him. Palace also make a change. Puncheon on for Ledley.
50' - PALACE CHANCE. Souare glides down the left and teases a low cross towards the near post that Murray can only flick wide on the run.
54' - PALACE PENALTY SHOUT! Puncheon causes havoc in the United area but sees a low drive blocked by Herrera. The Palace winger continues and goes down under a challenge from Mata... the referee says no, but the Spaniard clearly caught him.
57' - GOAL! PALACE 1-1 MAN UNITED. Palace are level! Puncheon steps up and curls a free kick into the net via a touch off Blind in the wall.
61' - BIG CHANCE FOR PALACE! Smalling steps into midfield and loses the ball, allowing McArthur to rampage at goal. The midfielder takes on the last defender but stabs his shot wide of the far post.
71' - WHAT A SAVE! De Gea produces a sensational stop to keep out Murray from six yards after Dann had put it on a plate for the forward with a neat turn and pass. The United keeper has done it time and time again this season.
78' - GOAL! PALACE 1-2 MAN UNITED. The Red Devils restore their lead! Speroni comes for Young's cross and completely misses it, allowing Fellaini to steer into the empty net at the back post.
86' - GREAT SAVE! Murray lets rip with a thumping drive but De Gea is there to deny him once more.
KEY STATS Crystal Palace suffered their 19th top flight defeat versus Man United. They have only lost more against Arsenal (20). Crystal Palace have lost four consecutive PL matches for the first time since a run of seven in a row from September to November 2013.
Jason Puncheon is only the second player to score a PL home goal for Crystal Palace against Man United. The other was Gareth Southgate in the 1-1 draw on 25 January 1995.
Manchester United conceded from a direct free-kick in PL for the first time in since March 2014.
Juan Mata has now scored four goals in his last seven PL apps.
Crystal Palace have extended their club PL record without a home clean sheet to 15 matches. Only once before have they had a longer top flight home run without a clean sheet (18 from August 1971 to April 1972). Crystal Palace have now conceded six PL penalties this season – only West Brom and Tottenham (both seven) have conceded more.
TALKING POINT: Fourth spot is in the bag - and it's all down to a tale of two keepers.Overturning four points and an inferior goal difference with just three matches left was always going to be an improbable task for Liverpool - and after this result their dream seems impossible. United are over their mini blip and this victory all but seals a return to Europe's top table for Van Gaal and Co. If Brendan Rodgers' men lose at champions Chelsea on Sunday then the Red Devils' Champions League spot will be confirmed. That achievement will owe a great debt of gratitude to David De Gea who continued his outstanding season with at least two match-winning saves. At the other end, United had looked devoid of ideas late on, until Speroni went walkabout and gifted the visitors the three points.
MAN OF THE MATCH
David De Gea (Man United). The Spaniard could release his own DVD/Blu-Ray at the end of the month, documenting a montage of a season of breathtaking saves. With another stopper between the sticks, the Red Devils would not have won here.
PLAYER RATINGS
CRYSTAL PALACE: Speroni 5, Ward 5, Dann 6, Delaney 5, Souare 6, Jedinak 7, Ledley 5, McArthur 7, Zaha 7, Bolasie 7, Murray 7.Subs: Puncheon 8, Lee n/a, Chamakh n/a.
MANCHESTER UNITED: De Gea 9, Valencia 6, Jones 7, Smalling 6, Shaw 5, Blind 5, Herrera 6, Mata 7, Fellaini 7, Young 8, Rooney 5. Subs: Evans 6, Falcao 5, McNair n/a
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