MANCHESTER UNITED have comfortably beaten Southampton 3-0 in the Premier League.
The Red Devils went ahead thanks to Matthijs de Ligt’s first goal for the club, which came moments after Andre Onana saved Cameron Archer’s penalty.
Marcus Rashford made it 2-0 with a brilliant curling effort moments later.
And Alejandro Garnacho made it 3-0 with a brilliant finish in the last minute of the game.
- Kick-off time: 12:30pm BST
- Live stream: Discovery+
- TV channel: TNT Sports 1
- Southampton XI: Ramsdale; Sugawara, Stephens, Bednarek, Walker-Peters; Downes, Fernandes, Ugochukwu; Dibling, Archer, Brereton Diaz
- Man Utd XI: Onana, Mazraoui, De Ligt, Martinez, Dalot, Eriksen, Mainoo, Fernandes, Amad, Rashford, Zirkzee
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Match report
Matthijs de Ligt and Marcus Rashford grabbed the first-half goals to postpone the next Erik ten Hag crisis for at least another week.
But Manchester United were let off the hook by a Southampton side who outplayed them in the opening half an hour and failed to convert a penalty.
It would have been fascinating to see how United responded to that kind of setback.
In the end, though, Ten Hag’s side ran out comfortable enough winners and he avoided becoming the first United boss to lose three Premier League games in a row since 2015.
The Saints never recovered from somehow finding themselves two down at the break after striker Cameron Archer let them down at both ends.
More from Ten Hag
He continued, discussing Marcus Rashford and what that goal could do for him.
He said: “It’s very important. For every striker, they want to be on the scoring list.
“Once the first is in, more is coming. Once a striker was talking about a ketchup bottle, once it’s going, it’s coming more.”
Man Utd player ratings from SunSport’s Charlie Wyett
- Andre Onana: 7
- Noussair Mazraouri: 7
- Matthijs De Ligt: 7
- Lisandro Martinez: 7
- Diogo Dalot: 5
- Kobbie Mainoo: 6
- Christian Eriksen: 7
- Bruno Fernandes: 7
- Amad Diallo: 7
- Joshua Zirkzee: 6
- Marcus Rashford: 7
- Subs: Garnacho 7 , Ugarte 6, Maguire 6, Evans 6, Casemiro 5
Ten Hag reacts
United boss Erik ten Hag told Match of the Day, via the BBC, that the game changed on Andre Onana’s penalty save
He said: “The start was not easy.
“I think the penalty was the turning point in the game and not so far after we scored and that was very important. From that moment on, the game was all ours.
“I’m not surprised [by De Ligt’s quality]. At this moment he is not fit, he’s not at 100% speed. He needs the games to go up to it.
“We see glimpses now and once he’s there he will do much better. We are happy with him and especially today with his game.”
Tough stat
Plenty of difficult stats will be headed Southampton’s way.
But that was their 400th Premier League defeat of their existence.
Unfortunately for them, it certainly won’t be their last.
How it stands
Not long until the 3pm kick offs get underway.
United up to 7th with that victory and they can put their feet up and watch the other scores roll in.
Southampton in 19th but will go bottom if Everton can get anything at Aston Villa.
De-Ligted
Matthijs De Ligt told TNT Sports: “The win was obviously really important. I think if you get three points from three games it’s not enough so there was some pressure but I think today we played very well.
“A big credit to Andre Onana who saved a really important penalty, he changed the game for us.
“We’ve been working on some set pieces, this one was not exactly out of the book but this was from a good spot.”
Match stats
The numbers to round up the action from St Mary’s.
Incredible that Saints had no shots at goal after the penalty was scored.
10 shots on target for Manchester United in the end and they took a grip of possession in that second half.
FT: Southampton 0-3 Man Utd
After the opening 30 minutes, you couldn’t have seen it being so comfortable for United.
Southampton were well in the game and should’ve gone in front from the spot – Onana saving Archer’s spot kick.
United scored twice in the rest of the first half through De Ligt and Rashford.
Southampton had NO shots at goal since that penalty and it was tough after Stephens was sent off with ten minutes to play.
Garnacho added the icing on the cake, scoring with the final kick.
FULL TIME
Comfortable second half for United and it was needed!
Southampton 0-3 Man Utd
Southampton 0-3 Man Utd
90+6. Terrific ball in behind the Southampton defence by Casemiro.
Dalot catches it on the byline and cuts it back to eight yards out where Garnacho rushes onto it and smashes high into the roof of the net.
Job done for Ten Hag.
Signing off in style!
Southampton 0-2 Man Utd
90+4. Free kick Southampton from the resulting corner.
Southampton 0-2 Man Utd
90+3. Great play between Zirkzee and Garnacho, with the former sending the latter into the area down the left.
His attempted shot is blocked behind by the sliding Bednarek for a corner.
Southampton 0-2 Man Utd
IT SHOULD BE THREE!
90+1. How has Zirkzee not scored!??
Amad does superbly well down the United right and his cut back finds Mainoo who lays it off perfectly to Zirkzee eight yards out. He sends Ramsdale the wrong way but the Saints defender throws a leg at it and superbly keeps the ball out the net.
Should’ve been a Zirkzee goal.
Southampton 0-2 Man Utd
Six minutes added on.
Southampton 0-2 Man Utd
87. Fernandes receives a pass from Garnacho, 25 yards from goal in the centre of the pitch.
He unwinds an effort which is dragged comfortably beyond the left post of Ramsdale.
Southampton 0-2 Man Utd
85. It’s a run out for Casemiro, who will replace De Ligt in the closing stages.
- OFF: De Ligt
- ON: Casemiro
Reports of cramp for the Dutch defender.
Southampton 0-2 Man Utd
83. Attack against defence for the rest of the game it seems, though United appear content with what they’ve got.
Saints have a brief attack forward but Mainoo wins it back and wins the free kick.
De Ligt looks to be struggling, he’s picked up a knock.
Southampton 0-2 Man Utd
79. Shocker of a challenge from the Southampton skipper.
Garnacho skips by him on the halfway line, right in front of the technical area.
He catches Garnacho on the knee when sliding in and Stuart Attwell has no option but to send him down the tunnel.
Silly and reckless and could’ve been a sore one for the United winger. Saints down to ten for the final ten minutes.
Southampton 0-2 Man Utd
RED CARD FOR JACK STEPHENS!
Southampton down to ten men.
Southampton 0-2 Man Utd
76. Ten Hag taking no chances.
- OFF: Martinez
- ON: Evans
Southampton 0-2 Man Utd
75. Bit of showboating between Mainoo and Fernandes down in the corner in front of the United fans.
Southampton win the ball back and Cornet looks to break down the right but excellent defending from Martinez prevents him.
He’s hobbling a bit, the United defender.
Southampton 0-2 Man Utd
74. Harry Maguire commits a foul well into the Southampton box before kicking the ball away.
Another yellow card for delaying the restart!
Southampton 0-2 Man Utd
72. Here come those United changes and it’s a debut for Manuel Ugarte.
- OFF: Rashford, Eriksen and Mazraoui
- ON: Garnacho, Ugarte and Maguire
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
