Manchester United Eases Pressure on Ten Hag with Crucial Win as Southampton's Struggles Continue

• Sep 14, 2024

Manchester United secured a much-needed victory, relieving pressure on manager Erik ten Hag, as Southampton suffered their fourth straight defeat since rejoining the Premier League. United came into this early kick-off desperate for a result after back-to-back losses to Brighton and Liverpool.

The match took a dramatic turn early on when Diogo Dalot fouled Southampton’s 18-year-old winger Tyler Dibling in the box, gifting the Saints a penalty. However, United goalkeeper Andre Onana stepped up, saving Cameron Archer’s spot-kick, keeping the scoreline level.

Just moments after the penalty miss, United capitalized on Southampton’s disappointment. Matthijs de Ligt, playing his first season for United after joining from Bayern Munich, headed in Bruno Fernandes’ pinpoint cross, giving the visitors an important early lead. This goal marked De Ligt’s first for the club.

United doubled their advantage soon after through Marcus Rashford, who finally ended his scoring drought. Unmarked at the edge of the box, Rashford struck a perfectly placed shot past Southampton’s goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale, securing his first goal since March and adding to the Saints’ woes.

Southampton, unable to respond, looked increasingly disorganized as the match progressed. Their frustrations were compounded when captain Jack Stephens was sent off for a reckless tackle on United’s Alejandro Garnacho. Reduced to 10 men, Southampton failed to register another shot on target after their missed penalty.

United continued to press in the closing stages, with Garnacho himself getting on the scoresheet. The young Argentine added a third goal in stoppage time, turning in Dalot's low cross to seal an emphatic victory for the visitors.

While United’s performance was far from flawless, they showed resilience in handling a tricky start. Southampton's collapse, failing to manage a single shot on goal after the penalty, leaves them stuck at the bottom of the table with just one point. Concerns remain for Ten Hag, however, as defensive injuries could prove problematic, with Lisandro Martinez and Noussair Mazraoui limping off, leaving United finishing the match with Casemiro in an unfamiliar center-back role.

United's focus now turns to a midweek League Cup fixture against Barnsley, where they will likely rotate the squad ahead of a busy schedule, including their Europa League opener against FC Twente. For Southampton, however, time is running out to turn their season around.