Manchester United lift mood by easing to 3-0 Premier League win at Southampton
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Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford ended his 13-game drought to get on the scoresheet.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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SOUTHAMPTON – Manchester United gave manager Erik ten Hag some breathing space with a 3-0 win at Southampton on Sept 14 after summer signing Matthijs de Ligt grabbed his first goal for the club, while Marcus Rashford scored for the first time since March.
However, United had to ride out an early Southampton storm and the outcome could have been vastly different had goalkeeper Andre Onana not saved Cameron Archer’s penalty when the English Premier League encounter was goal-less at St Mary’s Stadium.
De Ligt’s maiden United goal and Rashford’s first for six months quickly flipped momentum in the visitors’ favour just before half-time.
Southampton’s woes were compounded when captain Jack Stephens was sent off 11 minutes from time by referee Stuart Attwell for a wild challenge on substitute Alejandro Garnacho, who rounded off the scoring in stoppage time.
“Sometimes you have to find a way to win. The first minutes we had some problems but, after Andre stopped the penalty and the goal by de Ligt, the game was all ours,” said ten Hag.
Saints remain without a point from four games on their return to the EPL, while United, who finished with 20 shots to the hosts’ six, avoided a third successive loss this season and now have six points.
Ten Hag began the campaign already under scrutiny after surviving an internal review of his position in May, following an eighth-placed finish last season.
Back-to-back losses to Brighton and Hove Albion, and Liverpool before the international break had ramped up the pressure even more on the Dutchman and the Red Devils had to ride their luck early on at St Mary’s.
A failure to make the most of some promising build-up play has been the story of Southampton’s return to the top flight.
Teenager Tyler Dibling caught the eye on his first EPL start and his trickery lured Diogo Dalot into a rash challenge inside the area. But Archer’s spot kick lacked conviction, and Onana parried his attempt before easily clutching the striker’s follow-up header at the second attempt.
“It was a turning point for us,” said Onana.
“I’m happy for the guys, we had a great game, now we move on.”
Indeed it was just that as only two minutes later, United led through de Ligt’s strike as the centre-back put a difficult week with the Dutch national team behind him to open his account.
He was to blame for goals across two international matches, with coach Ronald Koeman taking him off at half-time in the Netherlands’ 2-2 draw with Germany in Amsterdam.
A short corner caught Southampton napping and Bruno Fernandes’ sumptuous cross perfectly picked out de Ligt to head into the bottom corner.
“Three points from the games is not enough. So there was some pressure on this game, but we played really well. Big credit to Andre, who saved a really important penalty and changed the game for us,” said de Ligt, who was given the Man-of-the-Match award.
Manchester United defender Matthijs de Ligt (second from right) celebrating with teammates after scoring against Southampton.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Rashford then ended his 13-game drought to get on the scoresheet when his low strike from outside the box curled into the far corner on 41 minutes.
“It’s very important. It is so huge for him. For every striker to be on the scoring list is important. Now he has his first, I’m sure there will be more,” said ten Hag.
Goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale denied de Ligt a second before half-time as United threatened to run riot.
But the second period was far more sedate, as the visitors comfortably held Southampton at bay before Russell Martin side’s frustration bubbled over.
Stephens’ unnecessary lunge caught Garnacho on the knee and was rightly punished with a straight red card. The Argentinian then rubbed salt in the Saints’ wounds with a thumping finish from Dalot’s cross in the 96th minute.
Martin, who has been sticking steadfastly to the attractive style of football that got them promoted from the Championship, rued the penalty miss, saying “it completely changed the atmosphere of the game”.
“It changed the game for us. I thought we were great up till then, thought we played really, really well,” the 38-year-old Englishman told TNT Sports.
“And the penalty miss, we didn’t respond well to it... the goals are nonsense, two goals from second phase of set plays, which was so frustrating...
“Then the second half... we have a man sent-off, so it was damage limitation from that point.” AFP, REUTERS
