Southampton vs Manchester United Review
Manchester United achieved their second victory in the last eight Premier League away matches by beating newly-promoted Southampton 3-0 at St. Mary’s Stadium. The Red Devils have struggled at the beginning of this season, suffering consecutive Premier League losses. Therefore, Erik Ten Hag needed a positive result against a Southampton team that had yet to earn a point since their promotion to the top division.
Although the Saints lost their first three league matches, they maintained an average possession of 68% during those games and controlled the ball significantly in the early stages of this match. Tyler Dibling, an 18-year-old making his first start for the team, was particularly impactful, forcing a crucial save from André Onana within the first 10 minutes. United posed some threats, with Joshua Zirkzee and Noussair Mazraoui forcing Aaron Ramsdale into action, but it was the home team that created the first clear opportunity to score.
Dibling once again played a key role, outpacing Diogo Dalot on the right and earning a penalty after being fouled in the box. However, Onana saved Cameron Archer’s penalty and caught the rebound. This moment turned the tide of the match, Ramsdale made a fantastic save to deflect Zirkzee’s low shot for a corner, but he was unable to stop Matthijs De Ligt’s header shortly after, marking the summer signing’s first goal for the club. Just before halftime, Marcus Rashford ended a nine-game drought without a Premier League goal by curling a shot into the far corner off the post.
The strong finish to the first half boosted United’s confidence, and they played much more composed after the break. Rashford, energized by his earlier goal, created more issues for Southampton, with Ramsdale having to tip a long-range shot over the bar. Russell Martin’s team struggled to find their attacking rhythm despite their efforts to apply pressure, they couldn’t maintain it for long. At one point, it seemed like the visitors might face a tough match, but it turned out to be quite easy as they secured all three points, especially after Jack Stephens received a late red card for a high tackle on Alejandro Garnacho.
The Argentine added to Southampton’s misery in stoppage time, scoring from Dalot’s assist to seal a victory that doubled United’s points for the season and extended their unbeaten streak to 16 matches against Southampton, who now find themselves in the relegation zone after their fourth consecutive loss.
