Manchester United returned to winning ways in the Premier League on Saturday by beating Southampton 3-0 at St. Mary's Stadium.
The visitors almost fell behind after a slow start when Diogo Dalot gave away a penalty following a foul on 18-year-old Tyler Dibling, who was making his first Premier League start for the Saints. However, after Cameron Archer had to wait almost a full minute after placing the ball on the penalty spot before being allowed to take the kick, a save from André Onana swung the momentum back in United's favour.
Erik ten Hag's side took the lead moments later when Bruno Fernandes crossed for Matthijs de Ligt and the defender headed past goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale. Marcus Rashford added a second goal, his first since March, with a precise shot from outside the area.
Neither side created many chances in the second half, although the game was all but over when Jack Stephens was sent off in the 80th minute. The Southampton captain was sent off for a reckless foul on substitute Alejandro Garnacho, who later sealed the match with a goal in added time.
Positives
Manchester United took control of the game after a poor start and never looked like losing the three points once they got ahead. A clean sheet will also give confidence for the upcoming games with a positive performance from the goalkeeper and both centre-backs.
Negatives
A better opponent could punish United if they start the game as slowly as they did at St Mary's, with the midfield not taking control of the game until after Onana's penalty save gave them a wake-up call.
Manager Rating (1-10)
Erik ten Hag, 7 — The coach quickly adapted the midfield to open spaces and that helped them take control of the match. He made important changes that maintained his team's dominance, such as Casemiro, who scored Garnacho's goal.
Player ratings (1 to 10; 10: best. Players who join after 70 minutes are not rated)
GK André Onana, 7 — The visitors could have been 2-0 down if not for the efforts of their goalkeeper in the first half, with a crucial penalty save proving to be the turning point.
DF Diogo Dalot, 5 — His careless foul brought down Southampton's Dibling inside the box and cost him a penalty. He fared better in the second half, forcing the opposition winger out wide.
DF Matthijs de Ligt, 8 — The 25-year-old was too easily outplayed by Kyle Walker-Peters early on but quickly settled into the game after that. He was often in the right place to clear the danger and scored the opener with his first goal for the club. The perfect tonic after being substituted at half-time for the Netherlands against Germany during the recent international break.
DF Lisandro Martinez, 7 — He anticipated the game well with several interventions and was aggressive in challenging for possession. He was replaced in the second half due to concerns about a possible injury.
DF Noussair Mazraoui, 6 — Mazraoui often made the right decisions when moving forward and did not allow much development down his flank, in an overall solid performance at right-back.
MF Kobbie Mainoo, 5 — A difficult match for the English midfielder, who struggled to move the ball forward and lost possession on several occasions.
MF Christian Eriksen, 6 — A clever pass into the six-yard box in the 15th minute created Manchester United's first chance of the match, but Joshua Zirkzee was unable to capitalise. He often made the right decision with passes that transformed the game in intelligent ways.
MF Bruno Fernandes, 6 — The Manchester United captain was quiet in the first half but had a moment of class with a pinpoint cross that found De Ligt to open the scoring.
Forward Marcus Rashford, 7 — A pinpoint finish from outside the area ended a six-month goal drought for the 26-year-old. His first goal since March gave the Red Devils a 2-0 lead, and he looked more confident after scoring.
Forward forward Amad Diallo, 6 — The 22-year-old tried to exploit the situation as a regular outlet on counterattacks, but his final pass could have been better. He was playing well with his left foot before finding teammates and was a constant question mark for defenders when attacking directly.
Forward Joshua Zirkzee, 6 — A couple of first-half chances failed to trouble the goalkeeper, but Zirkzee improved in the second half by leading the press, with consistent movement between the channels helping to link play during counterattacks.
Substitutes (players introduced after 70 minutes = no qualification)
Harry Maguire (Mazraoui, 73'), N/R — He came on for Mazraoui and was promptly booked for delaying the restart.
Alejandro Garnacho (Rashford, 73'), N/R — The Argentina international took just five minutes to score a goal in the match, going past Stephens, who was fouled and sent off. He scored United's third goal and capped an impressive performance.
Manuel Ugarte (Eriksen, 74'), N/R — A straightforward debut for the Paris Saint-Germain summer signing as United kept possession without any threat from Southampton.
Jonny Evans (Martinez, 77'), N/R — He came on for his 381st career Premier League game as a substitute for Martinez, who was moving uncomfortably with a knock.
Casemiro (De Ligt, 87'), N/R — He played the last minutes of the match as a centre-back, replacing De Ligt, and made an incisive pass that was key in Garnacho's goal.
