Manchester United will be eager to bounce back from the 7-0 defeat to Liverpool when they go up vs Southampton at Old Trafford on Sunday.
Gameweek 27 of the 2022/23 Premier League season will continue on Sunday. The day will feature four matches, with the action kicking off with three simultaneous fixtures. Manchester United vs Southampton will be one of those games as they face off at Old Trafford.
Manchester United and the Erik ten Hag juggernaut encountered a roadblock last weekend, as Liverpool pummelled them at Anfield. The result seems like a blip, considering the Red Devils’ progress under ten Hag this season. And they moved on quickly from the setback, beating Real Betis 4-1 in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday.
On the other hand, Southampton might be turning a corner in a season that has featured two sackings. Ralph Hasenhuttl and Nathan Jones have bitten the dust, with Ruben Selles replacing the latter. And the new Southampton manager has overseen two wins in four games thus far, including the 1-0 victory against Leicester City last weekend.
The reverse fixture saw Manchester United eke out a 1-0 win vs Southampton, with Bruno Fernandes scoring the winner. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Manchester United
'We are NOT looking over our shoulders! What others are doing is not for us!' | Erik ten Hag
🎥 Full embargoed press conference https://t.co/lCYLs7VmfI pic.twitter.com/1ic0FoOTgC
— BeanymanSports (@BeanymanSports) March 11, 2023
Erik ten Hag does not have any new injury concerns hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture. Against Southampton on Sunday, the Manchester United manager will be bereft of the services of four first-team players.
Christian Eriksen (ankle) and Donny van de Beek (knee) are long-term absentees. The duo will not be in action anytime soon. Meanwhile, Anthony Martial is making a good recovery from a hip issue. But Sunday’s game might have come too soon for the Frenchman. In addition, ten Hag is sweating over the fitness of Marcel Sabitzer.
With Sabitzer unlikely to start, Fred will get an opportunity to redeem himself after the horror show against Liverpool. The Brazilian international will join compatriot Casemiro in the double pivot in the middle of the park. Meanwhile, the defensive unit should see one change, with Aaron Wan-Bissaka starting as the right-back.
Diogo Dalot has been sub-par in the last few games, and ten Hag needs to try something different. But Luke Shaw picks himself on the left flank, with Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez starting as the central defensive partnership. And there is no looking past David de Gea between the sticks.
Antony bolstered his prospects for the rest of the season with a goal against Real Betis. And he should start on the right flank again this weekend. The Brazilian international will join the usual suspects — Marcus Rashford, Bruno Fernandes, and Wout Weghorst — in the final third.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): de Gea; Wan-Bissaka, Varane, Martinez, Shaw; Casemiro, Fred; Antony, Bruno Fernandes, Rashford; Weghorst
Southampton
Unlike his counterpart in the Manchester United dugout, Ruben Selles has a new issue to deal with ahead of the trip to Old Trafford. The Southampton manager will be without at least two first-team players on Sunday.
Selles has been sweating over the fitness of Carlos Alcaraz. The Argentine midfield picked up a knee injury while celebrating his goal against Leicester City last weekend. Southampton will assess the bizarre injury ahead of the game vs Manchester United. And Selles is hopeful of having Alcaraz at his disposal on Sunday.
🎙 Here’s the boss…
Rubén Sellés looks ahead to #SaintsFC’s trip to #MUFC: https://t.co/jlo3x1EUP3
— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) March 10, 2023
Considering Alcaraz has trained this weekend, he should reprise the no. 10 role again on Sunday. But Southampton will often shape up in a 4-3-3 formation during the defensive phases, with the Argentine supporting James Ward-Prowse and Romeo Lavia. Ward-Prowse will again threaten from set-piece situations. Meanwhile, Lavia’s ability on the ball during transitions will come into the spotlight.
Mohamed Elyounoussi might replace Theo Walcott in the starting eleven. The Norwegian international should join Kamaldeen Sulemana and Che Adams in the final third. And the latter’s movement off the ball might trouble the Manchester United defence on Sunday.
As for the defensive unit, Selles has no reason to tinker after a solid display last weekend. Southampton did not allow Leicester City a single shot on target. And the quartet of Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Jan Bednarek, Armel Bella-Kotchap, and Kyle Walker-Peters will link up again on Sunday. Finally, Gavin Bazunu picks himself between the sticks.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Bazunu; Maitland-Niles, Bednarek, Bella-Kotchap, Walker-Peters; Ward-Prowse, Lavia; Sulemana, Alcaraz, Elyounoussi; Adams
Key Stats
- After losing back-to-back home league games vs Southampton in January 2015/January 2016, Manchester United are unbeaten in their last six against them at Old Trafford. They have alternated between a victory and a draw each time in that run, drawing 1-1 last season. The Saints are winless in 14 meetings with Manchester United in all competitions (D7 L7) since a 1-0 win at Old Trafford in January 2016.
- Manchester United have won 36 points from losing positions in Premier League games vs Southampton. No side has won more points from behind against an opponent (Liverpool also 36 against Newcastle United).
- Southampton have won two of their three Premier League games under Ruben Selles (L1), as many as they had in their previous 17 under Ralph Hasenhuttl and Nathan Jones (D2 L13). Meanwhile, the Saints are the only team to have won more than half of their Premier League points in away games so far this season, with 12 of their 21 coming on the road (57%).
- Marcus Rashford has scored in his last seven Premier League home games. Only two Manchester United players have scored in more consecutive appearances at Old Trafford in the competition – Wayne Rooney (8 between December 2009-March 2010) and Cristiano Ronaldo (10 between March-November 2008).
- James Ward-Prowse has scored 27% of his direct free-kick shots in the Premier League this season (3/11). But he has failed to convert either of his two penalties this term. No Southampton player has ever missed three penalties in a single Premier League campaign.
Player to Watch
Bruno Fernandes
Bruno Fernandes was under the scanner for his behaviour against Liverpool last weekend. But Erik ten Hag has supported the Portuguese international since then, doing so again after Manchester United’s 4-1 win over Real Betis on Thursday. And Fernandes will be eager to make his mark, especially against one of his favourite opponents.
The 28-year-old has been directly involved in six goals in six Premier League games against Southampton (3 goals, 3 assists). He also netted Manchester United’s winner in the reverse fixture in August. Only against Leeds United (8) has he been involved in more goals in the competition. And expect Bruno Fernandes to rise to the occasion again this weekend.
Prediction
Manchester United 2-0 Southampton
Erik ten Hag will be eager to see his charges do everything in their power to exorcise the demons of last weekend’s mauling at the hands of Liverpool. Manchester United began well, with the 4-1 win over Real Betis likely to bolster the players mentally. But Southampton will be out to put another stumbling for the hosts.
The Saints have improved considerably under Ruben Selles, winning two of the last three Premier League games. And they will be buoyant after beating Leicester City last weekend. But the gulf in quality will be too much for the visitors to overcome. So while Manchester United might no longer be a dark horse in the title race, The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-0 victory for ten Hag and his men.
