Unlike the win over Leeds last weekend, Manchester United fans won’t be firing up the highlights of the draw at Southampton.
The 1-1 draw felt like a setback and two points dropped, on a weekend where Chelsea, Manchester City and Liverpool all won convincingly.
Amid the disappointment at an indifferent performance, there were a handful of good performances from Manchester United’s players.
Here is a look at three players who stood out for the right reasons…
David de Gea
If not for David de Gea, Manchester United would have lost the game instead of drawing it.
While he could do nothing about Southampton’s deflected goal, De Gea was sharp and saved a crucial one on one in the second half.
De Gea was dropped in it by poor play from United’s defence and Adam Armstrong was set through on goal.
The goalkeeper tracked his movement all the way and read the striker’s mind, saving well down low to deny the Saints’ summer signing from scoring the winner.
United could not repay De Gea’s brilliance by going up the other end and grabbing a winner, but the Spaniard deserves applause as without him, we would be looking at a worse result than the one we got.
Paul Pogba
Paul Pogba’s determination and invention supplied Manchester United’s vital equalising goal.
The Frenchman exchanged passes with Bruno Fernandes before setting up Mason Greenwood’s strike.
Pogba’s brilliance in the game was patchy, but he showed more quality than United’s other players, and this was his fifth assist in two matches.
Pogba missed the target from four attempts on goal, so that wasn’t great, but he deserves credit for taking the shots.
He also completed five dribbles, while the rest of the United team combined managed six.
Mason Greenwood
Mason Greenwood took his goal like a seasoned poacher and he remains one of the bright sparks of United’s season so far.
The teenager was moved out to the right, before coming back inside once Anthony Martial went off, and he was a menace for the Saints to deal with.
Greenwood did waste a headed chance in the second half, and that is an area he knows he has to improve.
Only one of his five efforts hit the target, but he made sure the one which did, counted.
He already has more league goals than he did in the first half of last season.
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