Southampton 0-3 Manchester United: De Ligt and Rashford Shine in Vital Win. Matthijs de Ligt netted his first goal for Manchester United as they secured a crucial 3-0 victory over Southampton. The win marked a much-needed turnaround for Erik ten Hag’s side, who had faced consecutive defeats before the international break.
Manchester United entered this match on a low note following a heavy defeat to Liverpool. However, they turned the tide at Southampton with a game-changing moment when goalkeeper Andre Onana saved a penalty from Cameron Archer. This pivotal save allowed United to seize control of the match.
De Ligt opened the scoring with a precise header from a superb Bruno Fernandes cross. Marcus Rashford doubled the lead shortly after, finding the net with a low strike for his first goal of the season, breaking a goal drought since March.
Southampton’s hopes were dashed when Jack Stephens received a red card late in the game for a reckless challenge on Alejandro Garnacho. Garnacho then wrapped up the victory for Manchester United with a powerful finish into the top corner deep into stoppage time.
The win offered a welcome respite for Manchester United, who had struggled to recover from their FA Cup final triumph over Manchester City, quickly overshadowed by their 3-0 loss to Liverpool. The defeat had put manager Erik ten Hag under scrutiny.
Casemiro, who struggled against Liverpool, was benched for this match. Initially, it seemed the international break had not provided the expected reset, as Manchester United struggled for the first 30 minutes. However, Onana’s penalty save proved to be the turning point.
Southampton, despite showing promise early on, were unable to capitalize on their chances. A foul by Diogo Dalot on Tyler Dibling led to a missed penalty by Archer, allowing Manchester United to dominate the game.
The defeat leaves Southampton still searching for their first points of the season. Manager Russell Martin continues to promote the attacking style that earned them promotion from the Championship, but their inability to convert chances into goals has proven costly.
A notable bright spot for Southampton was Tyler Dibling’s performance. The 18-year-old made his debut and was a constant threat to Manchester United’s defense in the first half.
