The phrase ‘professional job’ came to mind as Manchester United swept aside Southampton to claim only their second Premier League win of the season.
Three well-worked goals, a clean sheet, and some stellar displays from a few stand-out performers. A couple of typical injury scares aside, this was a day of welcome positives for an under-pressure Erik ten Hag.
But, of course, things could have been a whole lot different.
As Manchester United took their time to work their way into proceedings at St Mary’s, Southampton were gifted a glorious chance to take a shock lead on the half-hour mark when a struggling Diogo Dalot scythed down the electrifying Tyler Dibbling.
But Man United have a bonafide penalty-saving specialist these days.
Andre Onana’s latest spot-kick heroics not only denied Russell Martin’s side a 1-0 advantage, it also bought an end to Southampton as an attacking force. The Saints would not manage another shot on goal across the final 60 minutes.
Andre Onana saves penalty as Manchester United win
And Matthijs de Ligt – who played a major part himself in a second clean sheet of 2024/25 – was glowing in his praise for Onana after the Cameroon international laid the foundations for what would eventually become a far game than it initially looked.
“Obviously, really important (to win). I think if you get three points out the first three games, its not enough,” De Ligt tells TNT Sports (14 September, 2.30pm). “So there was some pressure on the game.
“I think we played very well. A big credit to Andre, he changed the game for us and a clean sheet, os obviously (that was) very nice.”
De Ligt, given the Man of the Match award by TNT, was an imperious presence at both ends of the pitch.
After that 3-0 defeat to Liverpool and a couple of high-profile mistakes for the Netherlands during the international break, this was a faultless performance to prove that the Dutchman’s class is indeed permanent.
De Ligt was outstanding as Southampton ramped up the pressure early on, winning headers, tackles and producing one brilliant far post clearance. Only a few moments after Onana kept out Cameron Archer from 12 yards, De Ligt then trotted up the other end and guided a pinpoint Bruno Fernandes cross into the far corner.
United’s second – curled in by a revitalised Marcus Rashford after a week of hard work on the trainnig pitch – also came via a corner kick.
Set-piece goals from Matthijs de Ligt and Marcus Rashford
Set-piece coach Andreas Georgson, brought in by Ineos from Norwegian outfit Lillestrom, is clearly making his presence felt then, even if De Ligt insists his first United goal was not quite straight off the training ground.
“We were working on some set pieces,” adds the £38 million signing, formerly of Ajax, Bayern Munich and Juventus. “This one was not exactly out of the book but, obviously, its a good spot (from Fernandes).
“Hopefully, we can get more results like this and grow as a team.”
Substitute Alejandro Garnacho provided another stellar cameo display off the bench, meanwhile, as he fired him a thumping finish following some fine approach work from Dalot and the maligned Casemiro.
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