Manchester United recorded their second win of the 2024/25 Premier League season as they cruised to a 3-0 victory at Southampton on Saturday afternoon.

The Saints were the better side for much of the first half, but Cameron Archer’s penalty miss proved critical as United went down the other end and scored twice within eight minutes of Andre Onana’s save.

United then cruised after half-time as Southampton were reduced to ten men. While there were positive signs from Russell Martin’s side, United’s win means they’ve lost their opening four games of the new league season after returning from the Championship.

How the match unfolded

United may have viewed this fixture as the ideal one for bouncing back after they were battered by Liverpool at Old Trafford before the break.

However, an emboldened Southampton were the superior outfit for much of the first half, with Martin’s system switch and a reduced emphasis on playing out from the back serving the hosts well in the opening exchanges. 18-year-old Tyler Dibling was a constant nuisance, as the Saints sought to overload the visitors down the right flank.

United, on the contrary, struggled to feel their way into the contest, but they did go close through Joshua Zirkzee, who couldn’t quite get enough on his toe-poked effort to beat Aaron Ramsdale.

The impressive hosts were handed a glorious chance to open the scoring when Dibling was hacked down by Diogo Dalot inside the United box, but Onana got down well to his right to deny Archer from the spot.

Within eight minutes of Onana’s penalty save, United raced into a 2-0 lead. After Matthijs de Ligt headed home the opener from an excellent Bruno Fernandes cross, Marcus Rashford doubled the Red Devils’ lead with a pinpoint effort which beat the unsighted Ramsdale.

It was cruel on Southampton, who were vastly improved, and United’s post-penalty blitz left them with an almighty second-half task. They struggled to go again after the restart, with the visitors finally asserting control. As the Saints started to pour bodies forward in a bid to get back into the game, United’s threat in transition increased and only a fine Ramsdale performance meant the contest didn’t completely escape the hosts.

Any slim chance of a Southampton revival were dashed when captain Jack Stephens was sent off in the closing stages following a reckless challenge on Alejandro Garnacho, who then added a bit of gloss to United’s win by thumping home a third with the last kick of the game.

GK: Aaron Ramsdale – 7/10 – Some might say he could’ve done better with United’s goals, but both finishes were pinpoint. Ramsdale’s distribution played a key role in beating the Red Devils press early on, and he made several big saves throughout the contest to keep the score down.

RB: Yokinari Sugawara – 7/10 – A bright spark down the right, Sugawara was adventurous when the hosts had the ball and was proactive throughout. A handy creative outlet.

CB: Jan Bednarek – 5/10 – As one of the leaders of the Saints backline, Bednarek has to take some responsibility in getting his defence up the pitch from set-pieces. The hosts couldn’t defend the second phase from such situations all afternoon.

CB: Jack Stephens – 4/10 – His afternoon ended prematurely with a nasty tackle which forced Stuart Attwell to produce a red card.

LB: Kyle Walker-Peters – 6/10 – Cute in tight space and almost worked an opening after beating De Ligt one-on-one. Had little influence after United took the lead.

CM: Lesley Ugochukwu – 7/10 – Added plenty of bite in the middle of the park, with Ugochukwu helping Southampton regain possession on several occasions in the opening period. Looks a handy addition.

CM: Flynn Downes – 7/10 – Southampton’s midfield certainly looked more robust with Downes partnering Ugochukwu, and the former West Ham man offered plenty of quality in possession during the Saints’ positive opening 30 minutes.

RM: Tyler Dibling – 8/10 – Jack Grealish-lite. The tone was set when he rolled Dalot early and forced a good save from Onana after cutting onto his left foot. Can change pace with the ball like a seasoned pro, and was Southampton’s star in the first half.

AM: Mateus Fernandes – 6/10 – A bundle of energy who looks to be a handy player between the lines.

LM: Ben Brereton Diaz – 6/10 – Offered some hustle and bustle down the left, but it wasn’t the most refined of performances and his substitution on the hour was understandable.

ST: Cameron Archer – 5/10 – It was his penalty miss that ultimately turned the tide. Archer was quiet either side of his defining moment.

Substitutes

SUB: Ross Stewart (62′ for Archer) – 5/10

SUB: Adam Lallana (62′ for Ugochukwu) – 5/10

SUB: Maxwell Cornet (63′ for Dibling) – 5/10

SUB: Ryan Fraser (63′ for Diaz) – 5/10

SUB: Taylor Harwood-Bellis (81′ for Fernandes) – 6/10

Subs not used: Alex McCarthy (GK), Joe Aribo, Adam Armstrong, Charlie Taylor

Manager

Russell Martin – 7/10 – The manager deserves credit for changing tack, with Martin’s personnel and tactical switches playing a key role in Southampton’s bright opening. He may well have overseen his first Premier League win as manager had Archer converted from the spot.

GK: Andre Onana – 8/10 – Onana was awfully quiet after saving Archer’s penalty. That effort, which arrived in the 33rd minute, was Southampton’s final shot of the match.

RB: Noussair Mazraoui – 7/10 – Southampton focused their attacks down the opposite flank, so Mazraoui wasn’t tested too much defensively. So natural in possession, and never looks like giving it away.

CB: Matthijs de Ligt – 9/10 – A performance of huge character after a tough international break. De Ligt opened the scoring with a smart header, and while he was beaten once or twice, the Dutchman was generally excellent when asked to defend the United box.

CB: Lisandro Martinez – 8/10 – A cool performance from the Argentine, who adds so much with possession. United’s bright moments early on were sparked by a line-splitting Martinez pass.

LB: Diogo Dalot – 5/10 – A lucky boy. Dibling had him on strings in the first half, and he has Onana to thank for sparing his blushes after he gave a penalty away with a clumsy challenge on the Southampton winger.

CM: Christian Eriksen – 7/10 – Struggled to get a hold of the game early on, but Eriksen settled and he helped United control the contest in the second half.

CM: Kobbie Mainoo – 5/10 – Not the young Englishman’s finest outing. Mainoo was guilty of turning possession over a few times early on, and he struggled when trying to progress United up the pitch.

RM: Amad Diallo – 7/10 – United’s most dangerous outlet throughout, although he is overly reliant on his much-preferred right foot. Needs to add a little variance in one-on-one situations.

AM: Bruno Fernandes – 7/10 – It was Fernandes’ lovely cross which set up the opener, and, as usual, the relentless playmaker was hugely influential, especially when United attempted to counter on the hosts.

LM: Marcus Rashford – 7/10 – Rashford needed an outing like this after a tough start to the new season. The winger wasn’t particularly dominant, but he was a persistent in-behind threat and he netted his first goal of the 2024/25 campaign with a fine finish.

ST: Joshua Zirkzee – 7/10 – Came close on a couple of occasions, and perhaps should’ve found the back of the net. Encouragingly, Zirkzee had a great impact with just a few actions. Lovely to watch.

Substitutes

SUB: Alejandro Garnacho (73′ for Rashford) – 7/10

SUB: Manuel Ugarte (74′ for Eriksen) – 6/10

SUB: Harry Maguire (74′ for Mazraoui) – 6/10

SUB: Jonny Evans (77′ for Martinez) – 6/10

SUB: Casemiro (87′ for De Ligt) – N/A

Subs not used: Altay Bayindir (GK), Antony, Ethan Wheatley, Toby Collyer

Manager

Erik ten Hag – 7/10 – A necessary three points for United, and the manager would’ve been pleased with the control they asserted in the second half. He’ll hope Manuel Ugarte will alleviate their midfield issues, because there were plenty of structural issues, especially in the build-up, on display in the first half.

Player of the match: Matthijs de Ligt (Man Utd)

READ THE LATEST PREMIER LEAGUE NEWS, RUMOURS & GOSSIP