Manchester United 2 - 2 Southampton (FT)
Southampton started the game with purpose, playing meaningful forward passes and being water-tight in defence. So surprisingly it didn't take long for them to break the deadlock. After Pogba carelessly lost the ball in his own half, Stuart Armstrong found himself free on the end of a cross played deep into the box, one touch to control and another to shoot. United's response was immediate. Within 10 minutes they turned it around to take the lead.
First, it was Rashford. Pogba played in the cross, Martial placed it in front of Rashford who slotted the ball away into the bottom corner. Next, it was Martial's turn. Fernandes played it to Anthony Martial out wide on the left flank, who cuts in, dribbling with ease and fires in a shot into the top right corner when he arrived just inside the box.
From then on it was smooth sailing, neither team created many chances up until the final moments of the game. With Southampton trailing, everybody got into the box for the corner to give themselves one last opportunity. Everyone surrounded David De Gea, and in the mad confusion, the ball slipped past everyone to the back pole. Obafemi(Southampton attacker) made no mistake to bundle the ball into the net. Lindelöf was at fault for letting the attacker slip in front of him instead of blocking him off.
There will be regret as there were two match-winning opportunities earlier in the game. First when Anthony Martial was one-on-one with the goalie but Martial left it too late and the goal-keeper blocked his chip. Later in the second half, a brilliant one-two with Martial left Rashford facing a virtually open goal but he failed to finish off the game and instead directed it over the bar. Southampton played well too, they were effective in isolating Pogba and Mason Greenwood out of the game and were a constant threat all over the field.
Therefore, the match ended all square and Manchester United missed the chance to go to 3rd place. Instead, they remain 5th, behind 4th placed Leicester City on goal difference and a point behind Chelsea in 3rd.
Luckily Manchester United have the easiest fixture run. Manchester United only play Crystal Palace and West Ham before facing Leicester City who play Tottenham and Sheffield United. Chelsea face Liverpool and Wolves in their final 2 games. The Red Devils just have to make sure that they don't slip up like last season. On a more positive note, this draw brings the unbeaten run to 18, the longest since the Sir Alex Ferguson era back in 2013.
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| Obamefi scores late equaliser for Southampton |
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