Why Man Utd need to be at the head of the queue to sign Crystal Palace's Tyrick Mitchell

[p]After ending the 2025/26 campaign so well, one might've expected [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/carrick-michael/phM8NElP/"]Michael Carrick[/a]'s [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/manchester-united/ppjDR086/"]Manchester United[/a] side to hit the ground running, but an opening day defeat at Hull has already been shown to not be a blip.[/p][infobox id="c5ce5f5a-ccb6-468f-9fce-bb4a330c372a" /][h2]Man Utd have been poor this season[/h2][p]Leading 2-0 at Old Trafford in the Carabao Cup against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/brighton/2XrRecc3/"]Brighton[/a], the Red Devils somehow managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory as they went down 3-2 - the first time they've let a two-goal lead slip at home in almost 50 years.[/p][p]After a frankly awful performance at [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/fulham/69ZiU2Om/"]Fulham[/a] in which they somehow grabbed a point at the death thanks to a deflection off [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/matheus-cunha/bq5QzRdb/"]Matheus Cunha[/a]'s shot, the murmurs have begun.[/p][embed guid="2cf914d0-0dcf-4e3e-aa1c-9dc4de61fd0e" url="https://x.com/ManUtd/status/2101778431486665042" social-type="twitter" /][p]The same old questions are being asked about United's first-team squad, sitting as they are down in 12th position, and already some 10 points off leaders and local rivals, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/manchester-city/Wtn9Stg0/"]Manchester City[/a].[/p][p]Noisy neighbours they may have been a few years ago, but they're very much the biggest team in Manchester right now, and have been for some while.[/p][h2]Time for the Red Devils to sign some quality players[/h2][p]United clearly still have many problems to address, and the jury is still out on whether Sir Jim Ratcliffe et al. are making a right pig's ear of it.[/p][p]In any event, the make-up of the first team has to be spot on if the club are finally going to bring the glory days back to the Theatre of Dreams.[/p][embed guid="d6fa1e85-977b-43ab-955b-ecb9763e27ea" url="https://x.com/MitchellTyrick/status/1507859990178107392" social-type="twitter" /][p]They need to get back to having players in their positions who are best-in-class or as close to that as possible.[/p][p]One area where the club knew they needed to strengthen in the summer window but didn't is at left-back.[/p][h2]Strength in depth needed at left-back[/h2][p]In all fairness, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/shaw-luke/88iLXV0O/"]Luke Shaw[/a] hasn't done badly this season, but he has been injury-prone for some while now, and he isn't getting any younger either.[/p][p]Acquiring some strength in depth there should really have been a priority for Carrick and the club's board, but a failure to land a replacement has left them light until January at least.[/p][embed guid="3aecd24c-c14c-4e66-bbbb-c392508b1ff8" url="https://x.com/CPFC/status/1654836162945593346" social-type="twitter" /][p]Fortunately, help may be at hand in the form of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/crystal-palace/AovF1Mia/"]Crystal Palace[/a] ace [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mitchell-tyrick/tbyIjQ0h/"]Tyrick Mitchell[/a], a player who [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/liverpool/lId4TMwf/"]Liverpool[/a] are also keeping tabs on, suggesting that they're none too enamoured by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kerkez-milos/2H46JAgp/"]Milos Kerkez[/a].[/p][p]The 27-year-old is out of contract with the Eagles next summer and, as such, can speak to other clubs in January.[/p][h2]Cut-price deal?[/h2][p]More pertinently, that would be the last chance for Palace to get any money for the player if they have to reluctantly accept that he wants to follow in the footsteps of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/guehi-marc/KEeklutO/"]Marc Guehi[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/olise-michael/E5pvwqkK/"]Michael Olise[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/eze-eberechi/Stf4BYFn/"]Eberechi Eze[/a] and others.[/p][p]If money has still been an issue for United, then a cut-price deal for a player with both international and extensive Premier League experience will be right up their alley.[/p][image alt="Tyrick Mitchell's recent player ratings" id="5bb28642-bfea-4a88-90e7-b522bae8a2c3" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="b8aeb03b-f6c5-4b03-ba90-7670629f66d8" original-width="2160" original-height="2702" /][p]From Mitchell's own perspective, a move to a 'bigger' club, with the greatest respect to Palace, would be seen as a step up, and at a point when he is in his supposed peak playing years.[/p][p]Since the start of last season, only three players have made more assists than the left-back, and four more have created more chances than Mitchell's 18 - and yet in almost all of those cases, the other players are attacking midfielders.[/p][h2]Great all-rounder[/h2][p]A 79.83% pass completion stat puts him in the top bracket at Selhurst Park, whilst no one else at Palace has made as many as his 43 crosses from open play. Mitchell does have to improve on his accuracy, however, as just 20.93% of his balls into the box have found their target.[/p][p]A 67.52% success rate in terms of his one-on-one duels (79 won from 117 attempted) means that only [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/richards-chris/fVGFlDh2/"]Chris Richards[/a] has a better return (69.29%). [/p][p]Aerially, he's won 12 of 25 duels, so almost exactly 50%, which again places him towards the top of this particular metric.[/p][image alt="Tyrick Mitchell's radar graphic - Premier League 2025/26" id="d54eb6ee-2056-465f-a939-60f13e9a37ff" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="50548f01-12bf-4384-9d70-7909dee5482a" original-width="768" original-height="576" /][p]Although one or two players have a higher tackle success rating than Mitchell's 60.42%, no members of the squad can match his 48 attempted tackles, nor his 82 ball recoveries, and only [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kamada-daichi/bayITLyE/"]Daichi Kamada[/a] has won the ball back more in the middle third of the pitch (49 times compared to Mitchell's 39).[/p][p]He would give a United side pace, purpose and no little effort, and is almost certain to quickly become a cult hero to the Old Trafford faithful for the simple fact that his work rate and application can't be questioned - something that Gary Neville has lambasted the current United players for, after their showing at Fulham.[/p][infobox id="8a8311c3-81b3-440e-8b49-36091db073d1" /]