Manchester United eased the pressure on manager Erik ten Hag with a 3-0 victory over Southampton on Saturday, with goals from Matthijs de Ligt, Marcus Rashford, and Alejandro Garnacho sealing the win.
Despite the comfortable scoreline, United faced an early scare as Southampton came out strong.
The match could have taken a different turn if not for goalkeeper Andre Onana, who saved Cameron Archer’s penalty at 0-0.
This crucial save shifted the momentum in United’s favor.
De Ligt, scoring his first goal for United, and Rashford, finding the net for the first time in six months, turned the tide just before half-time.
Southampton’s troubles worsened when their captain, Jack Stephens, was sent off 11 minutes from time for a reckless challenge on Garnacho, who later rounded off the scoring in stoppage time.
With this win, United moved up to eighth place in the Premier League standings, while Southampton remains without a point from their first four games since returning to the top flight.
Ten Hag, who started the season under scrutiny after an internal review following last season’s eighth-place finish, needed this result to alleviate some of the mounting pressure.
The team had been under the spotlight after back-to-back defeats to Brighton and Liverpool before the international break.
In a bid to shake things up, Ten Hag benched Casemiro after his poor performance in the 3-0 defeat to Liverpool, and new signing Manuel Ugarte made a second-half debut.
Despite the changes, United initially struggled to control the midfield, and Onana’s penalty save proved to be a turning point in the match.
Southampton had a promising start, with teenager Tyler Dibling drawing a foul from Diogo Dalot in the box.
However, Archer’s lackluster penalty was saved by Onana, and the follow-up header was easily gathered by the keeper.
Just minutes later, United capitalized as De Ligt, rebounding from a difficult international week, headed in from Bruno Fernandes’ cross following a short corner.
De Ligt, who previously gained prominence under Ten Hag at Ajax, rewarded his manager’s faith by starting ahead of Harry Maguire.
Southampton’s newly signed goalkeeper, Aaron Ramsdale, made some crucial saves, notably denying Rashford at the near post.
However, Rashford broke his goal drought in the 41st minute, curling a low strike from outside the box into the far corner.
Ramsdale also prevented De Ligt from doubling his tally before half-time.
The second half was more controlled, with United managing the game effectively.
Southampton’s frustration showed when Stephens was sent off for a reckless challenge on Garnacho.
The Argentine then added to Southampton’s woes by scoring in the 96th minute from Dalot’s cross, sealing the comprehensive win for United.
AFP
