Man U vs Southampton

Southampton boss, Ralph Hasenhuttl, is expecting an intense game against Manchester United this afternoon and has been working on his team's fitness in an ...

“Of course we can take the confidence from that game. [Terms of use,](https://www.independent.co.uk/service/user-policies-a6184151.html) [Cookie policy](https://www.independent.co.uk/service/cookie-policy-a6184186.html) and [Privacy notice.](https://www.independent.co.uk/service/privacy-policy-a6184181.html) [Erik ten Hag’s](https://www.independent.co.uk/topic/erik-ten-hag?CMP=ILC-refresh) men displayed a level of energy and intensity that has been lacking at Old Trafford in recent times and avoided a third consecutive defeat after losses to Brighton and Brentford. It was their second game in a row that they’ve claim points from losing positions and manager Will he get on the scoresheet again today? [Privacy policy](https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=en) and [Terms of service](https://policies.google.com/terms?hl=en) apply. [Erik ten Hag](https://www.independent.co.uk/topic/erik-ten-hag) believes injuries, the form of individuals and a new partnership in the centre of defence are the reasons behind [Manchester United’s](https://www.independent.co.uk/topic/manchester-united) miserable start to the season after losing both of their opening games. “We have to learn from that [Liverpool] game and I’m really curious of what we will present [on Saturday], but I’m really confident that if we do the same as we did against Liverpool and we have the same attitude, fighting spirit and team cooperation then we have to win.” Southampton have lost five of their last seven home games in the Premier League with just one win and one draw in that time. [recorded their first win of the season against Leicester City](https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/leicester-southampton-result-final-score-b2149209.html) last weekend. [Manchester United](https://www.independent.co.uk/topic/manchester-united?CMP=ILC-refresh) travel to [Southampton](https://www.independent.co.uk/topic/southampton-fc?CMP=ILC-refresh) for Saturday’s early [Premier League](https://www.independent.co.uk/topic/premier-league?CMP=ILC-refresh) kick off as they look to build on the back of their [impressive 2-1 victory over Liverpool](/sport/football/manchester-united-liverpool-result-final-score-b2150411.html) last time out. There is a now an optimism around the team and they will have to live up to their own standards if they are to beat a Southampton side that

Manager Erik ten Hag will this afternoon be desperate to build momentum after masterminding a morale-boosting win over Liverpool last time out.

his stature is immense and in pre-season we took a decision to build him physically so he had a bit of a slow start. New signing United Casemiro is expected to be handed a debut, be it in the starting line-up or off the bench, but Anthony Martial will again miss out through injury. And you have already said… "We have options. Manager Erik ten Hag will this afternoon be desperate to build momentum after masterminding a morale-boosting win over Liverpool last time out. Especially when you also have Varane in your squad.

Erik ten Hag will be hoping to secure his second Premier League win when his Manchester United side travel to Southampton on Saturday afternoon.

Man United are looking to find space in behind the Southampton defence but the hosts have coped well so far. Southampton are clearly looking to cause problems with balls into the box. In-form Che Adams has his first shot on goal with a header that loops over the bar. Then it's Adams who wriggles away from the defence and fires an effort straight at De Gea. 36’ Southampton 0-0 Manchester United 40’ Southampton 0-0 Manchester United A series of superb blocks by the Southampton defenders kept Fernandes, Eriksen and Elanga out before Bella-Kotchap missed the target with the host's best chance. 42’ Southampton 0-0 Manchester United It's Bella-Kotchap who makes a huge challenge to deny Elanga as he latched onto a one-two in the box. You can also follow the action through our live blog below. [Leicester City](https://theathletic.com/football/team/leicester-city/) last weekend and then beat Cambridge United in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday. The game will kick off at 12.30pm (BST).

Man United play Southampton in the Premier League on Saturday and we'll bring you live updates from the fixture.

"We are really happy [Casemiro], it was really one of our priorities we constructed the squad, that we wanted to add a player in his position. We have a lot of games and a lot of players will come on, we have a good level of players and good competition. United are attacking the away-dayers in the first-half. With needlessly loud and generic music and ‘Oh When the Saints’, it is not half as atmospheric as Monday night and that is part of the challenge for United. We made a really good performance [against Liverpool], but also I want to credit the contribution of the substitutes that came on. United looked promising with that fluidity post-restart in 2020 with Rashford, Martial and Greenwood but the experiment ended early at the start of the 2020-21 season with Martial out of the picture through suspension and Cavani brought in. That was a beautiful cross-field ball from Eriksen to switch the play. He should not be having to intervene - that is the ‘keeper’s territory. United are playing it out from the back today. United are at their most authoritative with Eriksen on the ball. It would be particularly galling if United were to concede first after that goalmouth scramble and they have had some edgy moments in their own area, despite the bullish high-five exchanges after the ball goes dead. This has been a pretty unconvincing start from United, who haven’t yet taken a grip of the game.

Casemiro and Cristiano Ronaldo are on the bench, as the starting eleven remains unchanged for Manchester United's meeting with Southampton.

Marcus Rashford will thus spearhead the Manchester United attack against Southampton, with Jadon Sancho and Anthony Elanga being the two wide men, leaving Ronaldo as a possible substitute. The midfield unit surprisingly does not see a change, with Casemiro on the bench. David de Gea retains his spot between the sticks, with Tom Heaton being the backup option on the bench.

Manchester United face Southampton in the Premier League today hoping to make it two wins from two. The Reds beat Liverpool 2-1 at Old Trafford on Monday ...

Erik ten Hag has decided to keep Cristiano Ronaldo out of the team following that performance. For the first time in over a year, United looked united on the pitch, with the players fighting for one another. Manchester United face Southampton in the Premier League today hoping to make it two wins from two.

Erik ten Hag has left Cristiano Ronaldo and Harry Maguire on the bench again today for the lunchtime kickoff against Southampton. Manchester United.

[Fred](https://thepeoplesperson.com/tag/fred/), Garnacho, Ronaldo and [Tom Heaton](https://thepeoplesperson.com/tag/tom-heaton/) all hoping for minutes. [Victor Lindelof](https://thepeoplesperson.com/tag/victor-lindelof/) is still absent with injury but is expected to be fit for next week. [Anthony Martial](https://thepeoplesperson.com/tag/anthony-martial/) is ruled out through injury in the centre-forward position.

Minute-by-minute report: Can Erik ten Hag's men continue their revival with a second straight win? Join Scott Murray.

A daft challenge, and a free kick in a very dangerous position, just to the right of the Saints D. 39 min: In a tight spot in the United box, Adams spins away from Martinez. But United come again, McTominay chasing down the right and taking a whack from a tight-ish angle. Rashford battles for the ball, but Kotchap is determined to usher the ball out of play for a goal kick, and he’s strong enough to get the job done without fear or fuss. 53 min: Kotchap is having a fine game, so it’s a worry for Saints that he goes down feeling the back of his leg. 59 min: Dalot’s poor pass out from the back leads to a Saints throw, deep in United territory on the left. 44 min: Aribo sticks out a leg in the hope of poking the ball away from McTominay, who needs no further invitation to go down. On BT Sport, Paul Scholes thinks this game is tailor-made for Ronaldo, on account of his being not half bad at getting on the end of a cross. Nothing comes of the break, but what a block! The away fans enjoyed that, and sing a paean to Argentina. Adams is brought to a thundering halt by Martinez, but the ball breaks to Stuart Armstrong, whose shot is blocked in equally unceremonious style by McTominay. 85 min: Kotchap channels his inner Beckenbauer by snaffling a loose ball 40 yards from the United goal, breezing past Casemiro, entering the box, and …

Manchester United earned the first away victory of the season by defeating Southampton 1-0 in the Premier League's early Saturday game.

Back to Back wins… Prior to the match, the Saints had rescued four points from losing positions in their previous two outings and were looking to repeat a turnaround. Armstrong 63), A. United stormed out of the blocks after the interval, heaping early pressure on the home side and were rewarded 10 minutes following the restart. However, the best opportunity fell to Armel Bella-Kotchap. A Diogo Dalot cross caused mayhem in the penalty area as the Southampton keeper Gavin Bazunu and his defence somehow frantically denied Bruno Fernandes the chance to head home, before thwarting Anthony Elanga, Fernandes again and then Christian Eriksen – all from around the six-yard box.

Bruno Fernandes proved to be Manchester United's match winner, scoring the only goal of the game in the victory against Southampton on Saturday.

[Harry Maguire](https://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/157073/Harry-Maguire) watched the entirety of this game from the bench as [Raphael Varane](https://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/153053/Raphaël-Varane) and [Lisandro Martinez](https://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/233937/Lisandro-Martínez) showed more encouraging signs of forging an effective centre-back partnership together. [Liverpool](/soccer/team?id=364), given United had more of the ball (51% against [Southampton](/soccer/team?id=376) compared with 30% vs. [Napoli](/soccer/team?id=114) the latest club to hold talks. Man United win consecutive games for the first time since February (vs. With [Chelsea](/soccer/team?id=363) closing in on the big-money signing of [Wesley Fofana](https://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/270190/Wesley-Fofana), could Leicester offer Maguire an escape route back to his former club? [Upcoming fixtures](www.espn.com/soccer/fixtures?league=eng.1) Ended with just 28 touches -- the fewest of any player to last 90 minutes -- and one shot. These remain formative days in the Ten Hag era, but another victory will give him more momentum to build on with [Leicester City](/soccer/team?id=375) up next on Thursday. Saturday's win was not emphatic, but United looked more organised and compact than they have done in many matches during that run, keeping a clean sheet on the road for the first time in any competition since December 2021 (against Norwich). [Best/worst performers](#bestworst) [Highlights and notable moments](#highlights) [Premier League table](www.espn.com/soccer/league/_/name/eng.1)