Southampton 1-1 Man Utd: Report, Ratings & Reaction as Vestergaard Snatches Draw for 10-Man Saints

​Manchester United have failed to win their third game in a row in the Premier League after Southampton's Jannik Vestergaard cancelled out Daniel James' stunning opener at St. Mary's Stadium.

The visitors were treading on eggshells in the opening stages of the match and were close to conceding the opening goal through Che Adams and Sofiane Boufal, but it was United's James who broke the deadlock with a powerful effort from the edge of the box.

It was a game of few chances but Southampton forced their way back into the match with a goal that was all too easy for the hosts, with Kevin Danso picking out Vestergaard to nod home his first goal for the club.

Danso then flipped from hero to villain with a ridiculous challenge to stop a Manchester United counter-attack, earning him a deserved second yellow card with 20 minutes left on the clock.

Mason Greenwood and Ashley Young both came close to snatching a late winner for United but goalkeeper Angus Gunn refused to be beaten, securing a point for Southampton and leaving the visitors without a win since the opening day of the season.

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Southampton

Key Talking Point

There's little doubt that Manchester United have got a better squad of players, but Southampton found their advantage in the match thanks to well-renowned manager Ralph Hasenhüttl.

The Saints have already shown this season that they can cause problems for European champions Liverpool and Hasenhüttl was once again the architect of a performance that most top-flight sides could only hope to replicate against United.

The hosts took control of the match right from the outset thanks to their stunning pressing, and even though United's players - or more specifically Daniel James - were able to get the upper hand, Southampton still picked up a deserved point.

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Player Ratings

Gunn (7); Cédric (6), Vestergaard (7), Bednarek (6), Danso (5); Højbjerg (6), Romeu (8), Ward-Prowse (6), Boufal (6); Adams (5), Ings (7).

Substitutes: Long (6), Armstrong (6), Yoshida (6).

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Star Man

There are a handful of contenders for Southampton's star performer, as Kevin Danso looked dangerous in an unnatural position at left-back, while strikers Danny Ings and Che Adams were key to their pressing system.

PEH either has a blinding game or a shocker. Unfortunately today it’s the later. JWP needs to up it too, leaving Cedric exposed. Boufal looks lively but we seem to be standing still today and Romeu is our best player getting stuck in. #saintsfc

— Scott (@sday_) August 31, 2019

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Anyone else feel like Adams is trying to force it a bit too much? Just needs to relax a bit. Romeu class first half  #saintsfc

— Liam Dibden (@LiamDibden) August 31, 2019

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Romeu and Hojbjerg were able to steal a lot of balls from Man U this way. They read the passes well and made excellent tackles to follow up.

— Smartest AI (@EliteIwobi) August 31, 2019

But at the heartbeat of their side was Oriol Romeu, who showcased his outstanding defensive qualities as well as an ability to drive the ball forward after turning over possession.

Romeu's influence wasn't always felt as Manchester United did enjoy chances on the counter-attack, but more often than not the former Barcelona academy star was in the right place at the right time to keep Southampton ticking over.

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Manchester United

Key Talking Point

It's quickly becoming Manchester United's trademark, but once again Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side showed exactly why they're one of the best counter-attacking sides in the Premier League.

It took some time for United to work out Southampton's press, but once they had the visitors found themselves with a straight route to their opponent's back-four which allowed Daniel James and Marcus Rashford to wreak havoc on the break.

United's quality on the break isn't entirely a positive, however, as they were struggling to string a lot of passes together and some players looked on completely different wavelengths to the rest of their teammates.

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Source : 90min