In a dramatic 3-1 victory over Southampton, Manchester United’s performance was a mix of highs and lows, with standout individual displays and frustrating moments across the pitch. Here’s a breakdown of the players’ performances:
Andre Onana (7/10): The standout performer for United in the first half. Onana made crucial saves, including a remarkable double stop to deny Southampton’s Tyler Dibling and Mateus Fernandes. He kept his side in the game when it looked like they could fall behind further.
Leny Yoro (3/10): Yoro had a tough outing against Southampton’s Kamaldeen Sulemana, who proved too tricky and fast for him. He struggled defensively, often being beaten and failing to make key interventions.
Matthijs de Ligt (5/10): De Ligt showed some solid defensive moments but wasn’t commanding enough at the heart of the three-man defense. His presence wasn’t as dominant as United would have liked in a game where organization at the back was key.
Lisandro Martinez (4/10): After impressive performances against Liverpool and Arsenal, Martinez regressed against Southampton. His usual sharpness and composure were lacking, contributing to defensive vulnerabilities in United’s shaky backline.
Amad Diallo (9/10): Amad was United’s shining light, scoring a dramatic second-half hat-trick to turn the game on its head. His work to first get the equalizer and then score the winner was vital. Amad was the team’s main threat throughout, and without him, United’s comeback would not have been possible.
Manuel Ugarte (4/10): Ugarte started the game well but his performance took a significant dip after scoring an own goal from a Southampton corner. The defensive midfielder struggled to regain his composure after that mistake.
Kobbie Mainoo (3/10): Mainoo was ineffective throughout the match. He lacked conviction in his duels and was often outmuscled by Southampton’s midfield, contributing little to United’s efforts.
Noussair Mazraoui (3/10): Mazraoui struggled on the left side, offering little in attack and failing to progress the ball. His lack of impact was felt as United’s offensive play lacked width and depth on that flank.
Bruno Fernandes (4/10): Fernandes failed to make the kind of impact expected from him. His usual creativity was missing, and he was largely ineffective in controlling the game or providing key passes.
Alejandro Garnacho (2/10): Garnacho had a golden opportunity to give United the lead in the first half but missed a clear-cut chance. His decision-making in the final third was poor, and he failed to make any significant contribution to the game.
Rasmus Hojlund (1/10): Højlund’s performance was a major disappointment. His hold-up play was non-existent, and he failed to provide any focal point for United’s attack. His lack of impact made it feel as though United were playing with 10 men, prompting major frustration from fans.
Substitutes:
- Antony (2/10): Antony’s contribution was minimal, with a bizarre miss of an open goal that summed up his uninspiring performance. His presence didn’t change the game, and he offered little during his time on the pitch.
- Joshua Zirkzee (7/10): Zirkzee was a game-changer, providing the assist for Amad’s goal. United looked much sharper after his introduction, with his excellent combination play helping to sustain United’s attacking pressure. He should be starting ahead of Højlund in future matches.
- Toby Collyer (6/10): Collyer brought energy to United’s midfield, adding legs and some much-needed urgency in the middle of the park, helping United regain control after a rocky start.
- Harry Maguire (5/10): Maguire had limited time on the pitch but was missed as United struggled at the back. His leadership could have provided more stability in a match that saw defensive errors.
- Christian Eriksen (6/10): Eriksen provided a moment of class with a lovely dinked pass for Amad’s winning strike. His creativity and composure made a difference, and his experience helped steady the team late on.
Ultimately, it was a mixed performance from United, but Amad Diallo’s brilliance overshadowed the frustrations elsewhere, leading the team to an important victory.