United loss to Palace the result of playing catch-up says Solskjaer

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Europa League Semi Final - Sevilla v Manchester United - RheinEnergieSTADION, Cologne, Germany - August 16, 2020 Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, as play resumes behind closed doors following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Martin Meissner/Pool via REUTERS

MANCHESTER, England (Reuters) - Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer criticised the decision to award Crystal Palace a penalty in a 3-1 home defeat on Saturday but said the visitors were worth their victory as his side play catch-up after a late start to the season.

With United trailing 1-0 there was a double intervention from VAR -- to award Palace a penalty for handball against Victor Lindelof before forcing a retake after goalkeeper David De Gea came off his line -- and that ended United's hopes.