Manchester United drew 2-2 with Southampton in the Premier League at Old Trafford on Monday evening. United came from behind with goals from Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial in the first half but a late equaliser from Michael Obafemi saw the points split and United, who could have been third after a win, stay in fifth and with all to play for to obtain UEFA Champions League football next season.
Southampton started well against United, throwing everything they had into attacking them at the Theatre of Dreams. It was because of that start that the visitors scored in the 12th minute of the match through Stuart Armstrong. Paul Pogba was sloppy in possession and Danny Ings was alert to David De Gea’s pass. The striker fed Nathan Redmond to his left with Armstrong in space, receiving the ball and firing past De Gea.
The lead did not last long with United getting the ball in the net, for the second time, the first being offside. Pogba had a part to play in the goal, paying back from his error for the first goal, wrapping the ball to the feet of Anthony Martial, who does well to hold the ball up and play the pass to Marcus Rashford, who had scored minutes earlier, with the England striker firing a confident finish to equalise.
That was not it for United though, they were responding like they have not responded in the past, especially when other clubs mess up and leave the door open for them. Just three minutes later in the 23rd minute, Martial put United ahead in the match. Pogba played the ball to the feet of Bruno Fernandes, who spotted Martial in space down the left. Martial charged Kyle Walker-Peters and smashed the ball in at the near post.
Solskjaer made his first substitution in the 63rd minute of the match with Brazilian midfielder Fred replacing Pogba, who had not has the best of matches, despite having an involvement in all three goals scored in the match at the time he left the pitch. Luke Shaw received a knock on his ankle late in the game and he was quickly replaced by Brandon Williams in the 75th minute of the match.
Solskjaer made a double substitution in the 84th minute of the match with Scott McTominay and Daniel James replacing Fernandes and Mason Greenwood. Southampton then started to push for an equaliser of their own, so far not quite getting there. United might need to get themselves another goal here to guarantee all three points from this match, which would have seen them rise to third in the Premier League, instead Southampton scored the equaliser.
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Goals: Marcus Rashford 20′, Anthony Martial 23′; Stuart Armstrong 12′
Assists: Anthony Martial 20′, Bruno Fernandes 23′; Nathan Redmond 12′
Manchester United: De Gea; Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Maguire, Shaw (Williams 75′); Matic, Pogba (Fred 63′); Greenwood (James 84′), Fernandes (McTominay 84′), Rashford; Martial
Substitutes Not Used: Romero; Bailly; Mata, Pereira; Ighalo
Bookings: Aaron Wan-Bissaka 90+2; James Ward-Prowse 44′, Jack Stephens 53′, Kyle Walker-Peters 56′
