Manchester United recorded their second win of the 2024/25 Premier League season as they cruised to a 3-0 victory at Southampton on Saturday afternoon.
The Saints have been the higher facet for a lot of the primary half, however Cameron Archer’s penalty miss proved important as United went down the opposite finish and scored twice inside eight minutes of Andre Onana’s save.
United then cruised after half-time as Southampton have been lowered to 10 males. Whereas there have been optimistic indicators from Russell Martin’s facet, United’s win means they’ve misplaced their opening 4 video games of the brand new league season after getting back from the Championship.
How the match unfolded
United could have seen this fixture as the perfect one for bouncing again after they have been battered by Liverpool at Outdated Trafford earlier than the break.
Nevertheless, an emboldened Southampton have been the superior outfit for a lot of the primary half, with Martin’s system swap and a lowered emphasis on taking part in out from the again serving the hosts nicely within the opening exchanges. 18-year-old Tyler Dibling was a relentless nuisance, because the Saints sought to overload the guests down the fitting flank.
United, quite the opposite, struggled to really feel their approach into the competition, however they did go shut by means of Joshua Zirkzee, who could not fairly get sufficient on his toe-poked effort to beat Aaron Ramsdale.
The spectacular hosts have been handed a wonderful probability to open the scoring when Dibling was hacked down by Diogo Dalot contained in the United field, however Onana bought down nicely to his proper to disclaim Archer from the spot.
Inside eight minutes of Onana’s penalty save, United raced right into a 2-0 lead. After Matthijs de Ligt headed house the opener from a superb Bruno Fernandes cross, Marcus Rashford doubled the Purple Devils’ lead with a pinpoint effort which beat the unsighted Ramsdale.
It was merciless on Southampton, who have been vastly improved, and United’s post-penalty blitz left them with an almighty second-half process. They struggled to go once more after the restart, with the guests lastly asserting management. Because the Saints began to pour our bodies ahead in a bid to get again into the sport, United’s menace in transition elevated and solely a advantageous Ramsdale efficiency meant the competition did not fully escape the hosts.
Any slim probability of a Southampton revival have been dashed when captain Jack Stephens was despatched off within the closing phases following a reckless problem on Alejandro Garnacho, who then added a little bit of gloss to United’s win by thumping house a 3rd with the final kick of the sport.
GK: Aaron Ramsdale – 7/10 – Some may say he might’ve completed higher with United’s objectives, however each finishes have been pinpoint. Ramsdale’s distribution performed a key function in beating the Purple Devils press early on, and he made a number of massive saves all through the competition to maintain the rating down.
RB: Yokinari Sugawara – 7/10 – A brilliant spark down the fitting, Sugawara was adventurous when the hosts had the ball and was proactive all through. A helpful inventive outlet.
CB: Jan Bednarek – 5/10 – As one of many leaders of the Saints backline, Bednarek has to take some duty in getting his defence up the pitch from set-pieces. The hosts could not defend the second part from such conditions all afternoon.
CB: Jack Stephens – 4/10 – His afternoon ended prematurely with a nasty sort out which compelled Stuart Attwell to provide a pink card.
LB: Kyle Walker-Peters – 6/10 – Cute in tight area and virtually labored a gap after beating De Ligt one-on-one. Had little affect after United took the lead.
CM: Lesley Ugochukwu – 7/10 – Added loads of chew in the midst of the park, with Ugochukwu serving to Southampton regain possession on a number of events within the opening interval. Appears to be like a helpful addition.
CM: Flynn Downes – 7/10 – Southampton’s midfield definitely seemed extra sturdy with Downes partnering Ugochukwu, and the previous West Ham man supplied loads of high quality in possession throughout the Saints’ optimistic opening half-hour.
RM: Tyler Dibling – 8/10 – Jack Grealish-lite. The tone was set when he rolled Dalot early and compelled a superb save from Onana after slicing onto his left foot. Can change tempo with the ball like a seasoned professional, and was Southampton’s star within the first half.
AM: Mateus Fernandes – 6/10 – A bundle of power who seems to be a helpful participant between the strains.
LM: Ben Brereton Diaz – 6/10 – Provided some hustle and bustle down the left, nevertheless it wasn’t probably the most refined of performances and his substitution on the hour was comprehensible.
ST: Cameron Archer – 5/10 – It was his penalty miss that finally turned the tide. Archer was quiet both facet of his defining second.
Substitutes
SUB: Ross Stewart (62′ for Archer) – 5/10
SUB: Adam Lallana (62′ for Ugochukwu) – 5/10
SUB: Maxwell Cornet (63′ for Dibling) – 5/10
SUB: Ryan Fraser (63′ for Diaz) – 5/10
SUB: Taylor Harwood-Bellis (81′ for Fernandes) – 6/10
Subs not used: Alex McCarthy (GK), Joe Aribo, Adam Armstrong, Charlie Taylor
Supervisor
Russell Martin – 7/10 – The supervisor deserves credit score for altering tack, with Martin’s personnel and tactical switches taking part in a key function in Southampton’s brilliant opening. He could nicely have overseen his first Premier League win as supervisor had Archer transformed from the spot.
GK: Andre Onana – 8/10 – Onana was awfully quiet after saving Archer’s penalty. That effort, which arrived within the thirty third minute, was Southampton’s remaining shot of the match.
RB: Noussair Mazraoui – 7/10 – Southampton targeted their assaults down the other flank, so Mazraoui wasn’t examined an excessive amount of defensively. So pure in possession, and by no means seems like giving it away.
CB: Matthijs de Ligt – 9/10 – A efficiency of giant character after a troublesome worldwide break. De Ligt opened the scoring with a wise header, and whereas he was crushed a few times, the Dutchman was typically glorious when requested to defend the United field.
CB: Lisandro Martinez – 8/10 – A cool efficiency from the Argentine, who provides a lot with possession. United’s brilliant moments early on have been sparked by a line-splitting Martinez go.
LB: Diogo Dalot – 5/10 – A fortunate boy. Dibling had him on strings within the first half, and he has Onana to thank for sparing his blushes after he gave a penalty away with a careless problem on the Southampton winger.
CM: Christian Eriksen – 7/10 – Struggled to come up with the sport early on, however Eriksen settled and he helped United management the competition within the second half.
CM: Kobbie Mainoo – 5/10 – Not the younger Englishman’s most interesting outing. Mainoo was responsible of turning possession over a couple of occasions early on, and he struggled when making an attempt to progress United up the pitch.
RM: Amad Diallo – 7/10 – United’s most harmful outlet all through, though he’s overly reliant on his much-preferred proper foot. Wants so as to add a bit of variance in one-on-one conditions.
AM: Bruno Fernandes – 7/10 – It was Fernandes’ pretty cross which arrange the opener, and, as traditional, the relentless playmaker was vastly influential, particularly when United tried to counter on the hosts.
LM: Marcus Rashford – 7/10 – Rashford wanted an outing like this after a troublesome begin to the brand new season. The winger wasn’t significantly dominant, however he was a persistent in-behind menace and he netted his first objective of the 2024/25 marketing campaign with a advantageous end.
ST: Joshua Zirkzee – 7/10 – Got here shut on a few events, and maybe ought to’ve discovered the again of the online. Encouragingly, Zirkzee had an incredible influence with just some actions. Beautiful to look at.
Substitutes
SUB: Alejandro Garnacho (73′ for Rashford) – 7/10
SUB: Manuel Ugarte (74′ for Eriksen) – 6/10
SUB: Harry Maguire (74′ for Mazraoui) – 6/10
SUB: Jonny Evans (77′ for Martinez) – 6/10
SUB: Casemiro (87′ for De Ligt) – N/A
Subs not used: Altay Bayindir (GK), Antony, Ethan Wheatley, Toby Collyer
Supervisor
Erik ten Hag – 7/10 – A mandatory three factors for United, and the supervisor would’ve been happy with the management they asserted within the second half. He’ll hope Manuel Ugarte will alleviate their midfield points, as a result of there have been loads of structural points, particularly within the build-up, on show within the first half.
