“We tried to redeem ourselves with this match and we succeeded because of him. We wouldn’t have won this match without his football intelligence. He most definitely changed the game” – This is according to Manchester United defender Matthijs de Ligt as he praises his Manchester United teammate, stating they “changed the game.”

The term “professional job” seemed fitting as Manchester United comfortably defeated Southampton, securing only their second Premier League win of the season.

The victory included three well-crafted goals, a clean sheet, and standout performances from key players. Despite a couple of injury scares, it was a day filled with positives for Erik ten Hag, who had been under pressure.

 

However, the outcome could have been very different.

 

As United slowly settled into the match at St Mary’s, Southampton were handed a golden opportunity to take an unexpected lead around the 30-minute mark when Diogo Dalot, struggling defensively, brought down the lively Tyler Dibbling.

 

Fortunately for United, they now have a proven penalty-saving expert in Andre Onana. His save not only kept the scoreline level but also marked the end of Southampton’s attacking threat, as they failed to produce another shot on target for the remaining hour.

Andre Onana saved a penalty as Manchester United secured a victory, and Matthijs de Ligt, who contributed to the team’s second clean sheet of the 2024/25 season, was full of praise for the Cameroonian goalkeeper. Onana’s crucial save set the tone for what turned out to be a much more comfortable game than it initially appeared.

 

“It was obviously really important to win,” De Ligt told TNT Sports on September 14. “If you only get three points from the first three games, it’s not enough. So, there was some pressure on this match.”

“I think we played very well. Full credit to Andre; he changed the game for us, and keeping a clean sheet was great,” said Matthijs de Ligt, who was named Man of the Match by TNT Sports.

 

De Ligt delivered an exceptional performance, showcasing his dominance at both ends of the field. After the recent 3-0 loss to Liverpool and some errors while playing for the Netherlands, this flawless display reaffirmed his undeniable quality.

 

He was a standout player as Southampton applied early pressure, winning key headers, tackles, and making a crucial clearance at the far post.

Moments after Andre Onana’s penalty save against Cameron Archer, De Ligt went up the other end and expertly guided a Bruno Fernandes cross into the far corner of the net.

 

United’s second goal, a curling strike from Marcus Rashford after intense training throughout the week, also came from a corner.

 

Set-piece coach Andreas Georgson, brought in by Ineos from Lillestrom, is clearly having an impact, though De Ligt noted his goal wasn’t directly from the training ground.

“We’ve been working on set pieces,” said the £38 million signing. “This one wasn’t straight from the book, but it was a great spot from Fernandes.”

 

He added, “Hopefully, we can keep getting results like this and grow as a team.”

 

Alejandro Garnacho, coming off the bench, delivered another impressive display, scoring with a powerful finish after fine build-up play from Diogo Dalot and Casemiro.