Southampton, Matthijs de Ligt netted his first goal for Manchester United, giving Erik ten Hag’s team a much-needed Premier League victory.
The Red Devils needed to put on a show when they returned to action because they entered the most recent international break on a low note following their crushing defeat at the hands of Liverpool.
They overcame a challenging beginning before Cameron Archer’s penalty save, made by Andre Onana, proved to be the game-changing moment shortly after they took the lead.
Summertime acquisition De Ligt scored the first goal after Bruno Fernandes’ excellent ball into the box found its way into the bottom corner.
Marcus Rashford opened his season with his first goal since March, guiding a low strike through a crowd and into the net, and Manchester United doubled their lead six minutes later.
Southampton’s excitement appeared to be dampened by the double blow, as Manchester United dominated the second half.
Jack Stephens’s rash challenge on Alejandro Garnacho late in the game earned him a straight red card, capping off a terrible day for Southampton.
Deep into stoppage time, the substitute then completed a thumping finish into the roof of the net to seal the victory for the visitors.
The excitement surrounding the FA Cup final victory over rivals Manchester City quickly dissipated, as Liverpool’s 3-0 home defeat thrust manager Ten Hag back into the public eye.
After a challenging match against Liverpool, Casemiro was benched at Southampton and suffered the consequences.
Manchester United was second best for the first thirty minutes, so it did not appear that the international break had brought about the turnaround that supporters had hoped for.
However, Southampton was unable to take any chances, particularly after Tyler Dibling was brought down by Diogo Dalot inside the box. Archer stepped up to take the penalty, but Onana stopped his poor strike.
Manchester United took complete control after that, and even though there is obviously still work to be done to resolve some issues within the team, three goals and a clean sheet represents a successful return to action for Ten Hag’s team.
Southampton’s return to the Premier League has been miserable, as they are yet to secure their first points of the season following their defeat.
Their manager, Russell Martin, is remaining true to the appealing brand of football that won them promotion from the Championship, and they ought to have been rewarded for their strong start to the match.
The hosts displayed some excellent build-up play, but that was undone by their inability to convert in the last third. As they discovered, in the Premier League, inaccuracy can have serious consequences.
Dibling’s performance was one of Southampton’s notable high points. In the first half, the 18-year-old midfielder threatened the Manchester United defense on his debut.
