Man Utd beat 10-man Southampton to relieve pressure on Ten Hag
Story by Jane AISO
Manchester United gave manager Erik ten Hag some much-needed breathing space with a 3-0 win over Southampton at St Mary’s Stadium on Saturday. Goals from Matthijs de Ligt, Marcus Rashford, and Alejandro Garnacho secured United’s second win of the season, lifting them to eighth place in the Premier League.
Southampton, still without a point after four games on their return to the top flight, pressed hard in the opening stages, but the game’s momentum shifted when Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana saved a penalty from Cameron Archer. The Saints had been awarded the penalty after a rash challenge from Diogo Dalot, but Archer’s weak spot-kick and follow-up header were easily handled by Onana.
Moments after Onana’s save, United took the lead. Matthijs de Ligt, who had faced criticism during the international break for his errors in the Dutch national team, opened his account for Manchester United by heading home from a Bruno Fernandes corner. The goal marked a positive turnaround for the former Ajax defender, who was making his second start of the season.
United doubled their lead just before half-time when Marcus Rashford, enduring a six-month goal drought, fired a low shot into the far corner from outside the box. The England forward had previously been denied by Southampton goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale, but his perseverance paid off as he finally got back on the scoresheet.
Southampton’s captain, Jack Stephens, was sent off in the 79th minute for a reckless challenge on Garnacho, further dampening the home side’s chances of a comeback. With the Saints down to 10 men, Garnacho added a third goal for United deep into stoppage time, hammering home a cross from Dalot.
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Despite the comfortable scoreline, United’s performance wasn’t without its challenges. Ten Hag, under scrutiny following back-to-back defeats to Brighton and Liverpool before the international break, made changes to his lineup, dropping Casemiro to the bench after a poor showing in the 3-0 defeat at Anfield. New signing Manuel Ugarte also made his debut as a second-half substitute but struggled to influence the game in his brief appearance.
United’s midfield issues continued to show in the opening stages, with Southampton teenager Tyler Dibling impressing on his first Premier League start. Dibling’s tricky footwork earned Southampton the early penalty, but Archer failed to convert.
After the game, Ten Hag praised his team’s resilience. “We didn’t start well, but Andre [Onana] kept us in the game with that penalty save. Once we got the first goal, the confidence came back, and the team played with more freedom,” the Dutchman said.
The victory eases the pressure on Ten Hag, who survived an internal review at the end of last season following an eighth-place finish. Southampton, however, remain rooted to the bottom of the Premier League table, still searching for their first point since their promotion.
Written by Sekinat Musa Abubakar, Editor at Neptune Prime
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