Palace have a habit of losing to Manchester United at Old Trafford, and Wednesday's defeat was no classic. Here are five things that Robert Sutherland learned. 

Speroni still has the midas touch

This has been a tough season for Julian Speroni - he's watched as Palace's other goalkeepers have at times toiled through error-strewn performances and hasn't once been called upon - and it seemed to many of us that his time at the club would perhaps end with the closing of this season.

However, a vintage performance at Old Trafford shows just how much we've missed his decisive goalkeeping - and how sensible it was to give our Manos de Dios another contract.

He is still a contender for Palace's number 1 spot. The save from Anthony Martial in the first half - which looked like a certain goal - and the double save in the second half were highlights from what was an assured performance.

It's unlikely he'll play at Wembley, and knowing Pardew's penchant for switching substitute goalkeepers about he might not even make the bench, but let it be know - Speroni is still here and, given the chance, will show his worth.

Sako's lack of effort is troubling 

When Palace signed Bakary Sako, the impression we got from Wolves fans was that this would be a player with boundless energy and an eye for goal. The player we've seen so far, bar a few thunderous shots, hasn't met up to that billing. 

Yesterday's performance was that of a player who either seemed unfit or disinterested. His traipsing, languid style drew the ire of Alan Pardew during the first half, and his lack of focus from a Manchester United corner in the second half essentially handed Matteo Darmian the opportunity to fire a fierce shot past Julian Speroni for their second goal. 

In the fixture prior to the FA Cup semi-final, you would expect some of our substitutes and second-string players to push for consideration. Sako is one of those players. On this showing, he'd be lucky to have a place on the bench. 

Adebayor needs to get on the end of crosses

It's no good having Emanuel Adebayor drop into a number 10 role when his strength is his scoring ability. Whether this is tactical or a personal choice, it's impossible for Palace to score goals if the person tasked with scoring them isn't taking advantage of the chances that are created. 

The Togolese striker is probably frustrated at the lack of service played to him - strikers who are calm in possession often drop into positions where they get to have some influence on the game - the same happens with Wayne Rooney for example. But if you want to score goals, Adebayor has the proven skill to do it. 

We know what Adebayor is capable of. We're yet to see it really have an impact. If he plays on Sunday, a more forward-based role is required.

Wilf needs more support

Much like the point about Adebayor needing to get on the end of crosses, if Wilfried Zaha does all the hard work and his crosses aren't met by any players, it's not doing the service he provides justice. 

This point isn't just about Adebayor however - there are plenty of other players in the side who need to make a little more effort to get themselves into goalscoring positions when crosses - whether floated or drilled - come into the box. 

Wilf showed some excellent touches and genuine quality last night. He also has the statistic for the most successful take-ons (taking on and beating a defender) in Europe. But all that work leads to nothing if you don't have the support needed to make use of the chances he creates. 

Wembley beckons, and we don't have any further injuries to worry about

This is, without doubt, the most important point of them all. With the semi-final just three days away, it was imperative that Palace's squad got through the challenge of this match without any further injuries hampering Pardew's preparations. 

The great news is that James McArthur made it through his 30-minute run-out without any complications. A player whose presence we've missed since he got injured at the end of 2015, his return to the side is imperative. It's unlikely that he'll start against Watford but it'll be great to see him involved. 

Clearly, the concern now is that Scott Dann returns to fitness by Sunday. His foot injury means he's touch and go - but Pardew will be delighted that there weren't any further problems in the lead-up to the game.