Erik ten Hag never makes it easy for himself. The Manchester United manager praised Marcus Rashford’s improved attitude but left him on the bench and then watched as his replacement Alejandro Garnacho failed to find a way past the outstanding Dean Henderson, who played enthusiastically against his former club.

By the time Rashford came on in the second half, a strangely out-of-form Crystal Palace had finally woken up and United needed a brilliant double save from André Onana to avoid a second successive defeat in south London against Oliver Glasner’s team. At least this was a much improved performance on the 4-0 debacle in May that was the low point of last season under Ten Hag, and United’s defence withstood the late pressure.

After praising Rashford for his three goals in his last two games, Ten Hag caused consternation by preferring Garnacho, United’s only substitution since last weekend’s win over Southampton. Even more bizarre was the manager’s claim that the England striker’s absence was “not a difficult decision because we need to rotate”, as they were also able to get Mason Mount and Rasmus Højlund back to form a strong bench of nine internationals. That was quite a contrast to United’s last visit to these parts 138 days ago, when the bench included two goalkeepers and four players who had never played for the senior team.

Much has changed for Glasner since the heady days of that famous Michael Olise-inspired victory. The French striker was the star of his new team, Bayern Munich, in their 5-0 win over Werder Bremen on Saturday. Palace sorely missed his creativity as United controlled the first half and should have taken the lead. But Glasner’s changes at the break had the desired effect as Eberechi Eze wasted a golden chance to take all three points, while substitute Ismaïla Sarr was somehow denied by Onana.

United looked determined to pick up where they left off in their 7-0 win over Barnsley in midweek and would have taken the lead in the first 15 minutes had it not been for Henderson. The Palace goalkeeper, who spent eight years at Old Trafford but made fewer than 30 appearances, initially denied Garnacho’s attack after he was cleverly set up by Joshua Zirkzee, before saving a Matthijs de Ligt header and a Lisandro Martínez shot at the near post in the space of 60 seconds as the Palace defence was caught off guard.

The hosts struggled to find their rhythm, with Kobbie Mainoo and Christian Eriksen dominating midfield and Glasner venting his frustration on the touchline. Somehow they got away when Maxence Lacroix was guilty of ball-watching and passed to Diogo Dalot Garnacho. The latter’s shot bounced off the crossbar and fell at Bruno Fernandes’ feet, but the United captain’s volley bounced high and hit practically the same spot. Zirkzee was then unlucky when a Fernandes cross was deflected by the slightest touch from Garnacho at the far post with the goal wide open. Two minutes before half-time, Palace finally got their first shot on goal, but Eze could only shoot straight at Onana.

Glasner opted to substitute both Jean-Philippe Mateta and the struggling Adam Wharton, who was taking painkillers for a groin injury, for the second half and Palace immediately looked more dangerous. De Ligt had to step in to stop Eze after a brilliant pirouette was followed by a clever one-two with Eddie Nketiah.

A flowing United move initiated by Mainoo ended with Fernandes firing just wide. The stage seemed set for Rashford when he came on for Zirkzee after the hour mark, but Garnacho was next, testing Henderson after being fed by Dalot. United then had their goalkeeper to thank as Onana recovered brilliantly after parrying Nketiah’s shot to stop Sarr’s follow-up from close range when it looked easier for the substitute to score.

The Senegalese striker could hardly believe his luck, but it was his alertness that saw Eze put the ball in the net a few minutes later, but his shot flew wide of Onana’s post. Højlund was given the final 15 minutes after returning from a thigh injury, but neither team seemed able to make the breakthrough as Palace continue to search for their first win of the new season.