Relentless Manchester United put nine past nine-men Southampton
Having accused his players of being too nice, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer finally saw an utterly ruthless side as Manchester United fully exploited Southampton’s problems with their joint-biggest win ever in the Premier League.
It drew them level on points at the top of the table, for a day at least, with Manchester City facing Burnley away on Wednesday in their game in hand. United also hugely chipped away at the advantage in goal difference that City have and they never relented after Southampton were reduced to 10-men inside two minutes and nine with four minutes to go.
If this was nice for United it was nasty for Southampton who horribly repeated the 9-0 drubbing to Leicester City they suffered last season – the same score by which United beat Ipswich Town in 1995 in their previous biggest win – that so humiliated them.
Before Alexandre Jankewitz, the 19-year-old Swiss midfielder, had even touched the ball – which turned out to be the problem – he was sent off. Just 79 seconds had been played when he caught Scott McTominay high on his thigh as he recklessly challenged for possession with referee Mike Dean immediately and rightly showing him the red card.
It was Jankewitz’s Premier League debut and on the sideline Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl turned away in disbelief. No-one could blame him. Jankewitz, who looked stunned, had certainly left his mark, leaving two large red welts on McTominay’s left leg and there were no protests at the decision. He also became only the fourth player to be sent off within two minutes of a Premier League game kicking off and, obviously, the first on his debut.
Southampton were already woefully depleted – without nine first-team players – and their task suddenly became even more difficult in what inevitably developed into an exercise of attack against defence with Danny Ings dropping back to help out. “Defend together,” Hasenhuttl shouted. His team had little choice but were undone when Rashford ran the ball down and turned it back to the excellent Luke Shaw who crossed from the left. It was met by Aaron Wan-Bissaka, with Ings slow to react, and the full-back side-footed home from close-range. It was another first – Wan-Bissaka’s first goal at Old Trafford.
United struck again and, surely, it was already over. Once more Shaw was heavily involved against his former side as he worked his way into the Southampton penalty area before slipping the ball to Mason Greenwood who cut it back into Rashford’s path. Again the side-footed shot beat goalkeeper Alex McCarthy with Hasenhuttl, usually so animated and involved, turning and taking his seat in the dug-out.
If there was a way back for Southampton then it was through a James Ward-Prowse set-piece and when they won a free-kick on the area’s edge he had a chance and whipped it underneath the cross-bar with David De Gea excelling in punching it over for a corner.
A sorry evening for Southampton got even worse when the ball rebounded off Ward-Prowse and diverted to Rashford who crossed low. Jan Bednarek had to cut it out – Fred was behind him and would have had a tap in – but unfortunately the defender poked the ball into his own net at full stretch.
A sorry evening for Southampton got even worse when the ball rebounded off Ward-Prowse and diverted to Rashford who crossed low. Jan Bednarek had to cut it out – Fred was behind him and would have had a tap in – but unfortunately the defender poked the ball into his own net at full stretch.
United were relentless and even though it was only against 10-men it was also impressive as Fred pushed the ball wide to Shaw whose cross skimmed over Jack Stephens with Edinson Cavani not even having to jump as he powered his header beyond McCarthy. United were awarded a penalty when Kayne Ramsay lunged in on Cavani but it was over-ruled as not inside the area by the VAR Graham Scott. United will have felt aggrieved as Greenwood had a clear shot at goal just as the whistle was blown. Southampton will have been relieved for the chance to re-group as half-time finally came.
Interestingly Solskjaer switched to a back-three, bringing on Donny van de Beek and Anthony Martial, and resting Shaw and Cavani, and it appeared he was going for more goals to reduce the huge advantage City have.
Instead it looked like they had conceded when Che Adams beat De Gea only for it to be ruled out for another incredibly tight, in truth fairly unfathomable, offside call after a long VAR check. Southampton will believe that summed up their luck.
United continued to pushed, perhaps snatching at chances, with Bruno Fernandes in particular desperate to score as Southampton understandably sat deep.
They were breached, though, when Fernandes chipped the ball into the area and Martial chested it down, held of Bednarek and fired his shot high into the net for an accomplished finish. Having held out Southampton conceded again when McTominay picked out Greenwood whose low drive was parried by McCarthy. On the turf Stephens cleared but only as far as McTominay who drove the ball beyond McCarthy from 22 yards.
Adams should have claimed a goal back when substitute Nathan Redmond squared the ball to him but with only De Gea to beat he shot wildly over before, at the other end, Bednarek ran into Martial. It looked like Martial dived but after a VAR check not only was the penalty given but Bednarek was red-carded. Fernandes had his goal as he rolled in the spot kick. They scored again when Wan-Bissaka’s cross reached Martial who chested it down to beat McCarthy. The ninth arrived with Fernandes turning the ball back to Daniel James who pushed it past the goalkeeper.
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