Southampton FC v. Manchester United: Saints Player Ratings
By Erik Franzo
Southampton took a 2-0 lead to the 60th minute, but could not take away three points during Manchester United’s visit to St. Mary’s
Ralph Hasenhuttl’s starting eleven is crystal clear at the moment. Nathan Redmond and Danny Ings, both out with injury, will bring the only potential changes upon return. Maybe most surprising is the youth upon the bench, with Nathan Tella, Dan N’Lundulu, and Michael Obafemi awaiting their call against United.
The opening twenty minutes was a chippy midfield battle. Oriol Romeu and James Ward-Prowse made their presence felt as Bruno Fernandes and Donny van de Beek spent time on the floor. Possession was nearly even with few opportunities in either team’s defensive third.
James Ward-Prowse altered play in a ten minute period with two free-kicks. Southampton continue to crowd opposing six-yard boxes from corners and the first one today found Jan Bednarek’s head. Moussa Djenepo earned his captain a free kick in perfect position, which he dispatched inside the near post-inch-perfect.
Leading Manchester United 2-0 at the half does not mean the game is over and the Red Devils proved they were up to the task. Ralph Hasenhuttl believed the first goal came a little bit too early for his side, and tired legs down the stretch may have been to blame. There is no denying Southampton put a lot of energy into the match and you could see the heaviness weighing on the players as they labored through the final 20 minutes.
Edison Cavani will turn out to be the hero for United, but despite the loss, there were a number of Southampton players who received top notches for their own performances. Here are the player ratings for the Saints in their 2-3 loss to Manchester United.