> Watch a clip summarizing the goals
All three goals were scored in the first half.
Rooney, with a brace, sank Southampton.
After the break, new coach Mauricio Pochettino’s team made certain efforts to regain a point, but all they could do was stop at the level of opportunities.
The 2-1 result at Old Trafford yesterday, as most predicted before the match, ended Southampton’s six-match unbeaten streak, and also ended this club’s short honeymoon period with new coach Pochettino,
However, MU’s victory yesterday can hardly be called perfect, because once again they made a mistake, were behind and could only turn the situation around thanks to the excellence of an individual in attack.
Southampton entered the game enthusiastically, making MU somewhat confused and the away team thus opened the score in the third minute.
This unbelievable defeat caused MU to lose to the opponent for the 12th time in the Premier League since the beginning of the season.
Van Persie was unlucky in this match, but with Rooney back at full strength, the attack was still strong enough to keep the fire going, helping MU win the match.
The pressure was relieved, MU began to attack aggressively and had at least two good opportunities to take the lead, before the second goal came in the 27th minute. Van Persie, returned to the starting role after sitting on the bench.
In a relatively open game because both home and away players were attacking, MU had at least two more good opportunities to widen the gap, but neither Welbeck nor Van Persie could take advantage.
However, the goal that Southampton needed did not come because they only had about two or three insignificant chances with Rickie Lambert’s long shots and were all denied by De Gea.
MU gradually regained the upper hand and they thought they had a goal to increase the score to 3-1 in the 75th minute, when Van Persie, with two consecutive shots, beat Boruc and put the ball into the net.
Squad:
Man Utd: De Gea, Jones, Smalling (Ferdinand 63), Vidic, Evra, Welbeck, Carrick, Anderson (Rafael 68), Kagawa (Nani 73), Rooney, van Persie.
Subs not used: Lindegaard, Valencia, Cleverley, Buttner.
Goals: Rooney 8, 27
Southampton: Boruc, Clyne, Yoshida, Hooiveld, Fox (Shaw 78), Schneiderlin, Cork, Puncheon (Steven Davis 46), Rodriguez, Ramirez (Lallana 46), Lambert.
Subs not used: Kelvin Davis, Lee, Richardson, Chaplow.
Goals: Rodriguez 3
> Premier League rankings 2012-2013
