HARRY MAGUIRE lost the plot and United were lucky not to lose the lot, as they managed to turn three points into one yet again.
A goal ahead, thanks to Jadon Sancho’s close-range clip, once more they made it a game of two halves, and Che Adams 48th-minute equaliser was the least Southampton deserved.
It could – possibly should – have been more, too, as Maguire escaped unpunished when he stumbled and trod on Armando Broja’s calf in the dying minutes.
There was no doubting his guilt, as he clearly plonked a boot down on the striker’s leg, but ref Stuart Attwell ruled the ball was already out before he did so.
Yet it was another embarrassing moment for the United skipper, who looks more like a Sunday league pub defender than England international by the week.
And another cock-up by Ralf Rangnick’s men, who will be lucky to finish in the Europa League slots, never mind top four, the way they’re going.
Yet it had all started so well, and they really should have been ahead inside six minutes, when Sancho sent Cristiano Ronaldo clear and he rounded keeper Fraser Forster.
But he was way too cautious in trying to roll it into an empty net and although Romain Perraud did well to get back and clear, it was hardly last ditch.
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It was an ominous early sign of another blank day for Ronaldo, whose six games without a goal is his longest barren spell in 13 years.
He was throwing his arms up in frustration again – fast becoming a trademark these days – when Sancho opted to go it alone rather than squaring the ball.
But Forster’s left foot was equal to the United prod with his right, and another chance slipped away.
They finally made one count midway through the first half, with a quickfire counter that had Rangnick punching the air on the touchline.
Bruno Fernandes’ superb ball down the right took out Mohammed Saliosu and sent Rashford skipping away.
He had all the time in the world to pick out Sancho – who had sprinted beyond Kyle Walker-Peters – and although his far-post contact wasn’t the cleanest, it was good enough.
So far, so good then. But United don’t do easy street anymore, and sure enough, three minutes after the break Saints were level.
What a goal it was as well, working it all the way from the back before Mohammed Elyounoussi fed Adams, whose clinical finish flew in off the far post.
David De Gea then pawed away an Armando Broja rocket, and Fernandes nearly turned Jack Ward-Prowse’s corner past his own keeper, as United rocked.
They did have the odd moment, admittedly, such as when Forster saved with his feet from Harry Maguire.
And Ronaldo put the ball in the net, but was so far offside he was almost in another postcode.
Then Forster denied Maguire with a flying save in injury time.
But for the most part it was a point well earned by Southampton… and yet another two chucked away by United.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
