Southampton vs Manchester United: Where the game will be won and lost
By Edward Waugh
![MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - MARCH 02: Ryan Bertrand of Southampton battles for possession with Ashley Young of Manchester United in the air during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Southampton FC at Old Trafford on March 02, 2019 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images) MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - MARCH 02: Ryan Bertrand of Southampton battles for possession with Ashley Young of Manchester United in the air during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Southampton FC at Old Trafford on March 02, 2019 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/c5ec4e86e4fc76d51e177361554813cb88cbc382d0f054538268f9e3aa0283c6.jpg)
Aerial duels
Manchester United will offer some physically opposing players with the likes of Paul Pogba, Victor Lindelof and Scott McTominay; however none of them will cause Southampton more of an issue then the new £80 million addition that is Harry Maguire.
The 6ft3 centre-half is a dominant presence in the air; and therefore trying to play crosses into the box against the former-Leicester City defender might be a tactically hampering idea, especially when Southampton’s front line consists of Danny Ings and Che Adams who are both under 5ft8.
The Saints will need to find another way of penetrating the United defence; as failing to do so will only be playing into the Red Devil’s strengths and would even aid in helping them keep a clean sheet.
Likewise with Southampton’s central-midfield, Oriol Romeu and Pierre-Emile Højbjerg will need to be favoured to compete for secondary high balls or keeper distributions against the mentioned Pogba and McTominay; who have both been favoured in United’s 4-2-3-1 system so far this campaign.