Manchester United got back to winning ways in the Premier League by obliterating nine-man Southampton 9-0 at Old Trafford on Tuesday. (More Football News)
After following a shock home loss to Sheffield United with a goalless draw at Arsenal, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side responded in record-equalling style after young Alex Jankewitz had been sent off within two minutes of kick-off.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka opened the scoring before Marcus Rashford ended a six-game run without a league goal, with the contest effectively killed before half-time through a Jan Bednarek own goal and a header from Edinson Cavani.
Scott McTominay, Bruno Fernandes, Daniel James and a double from Anthony Martial in the second half, with Bednarek also dismissed, helped the Red Devils match their biggest ever Premier League victory and inflicted a second 9-0 loss on Ralph Hasenhuttl in his career as Saints boss.
Jankewitz's full Premier League debut ended in a hurry, the midfielder given a straight red card for a high challenge on McTominay.
The home side got the breakthrough 18 minutes in, Wan-Bissaka cushioning a fine Luke Shaw cross into the bottom-left corner after a long Victor Lindelof pass had disrupted the defence.
Shaw was key to the second seven minutes later too, driving into the box and feeding Mason Greenwood, whose cross was side-footed firmly past Alex McCarthy by Rashford.
David de Gea made a good save from a James Ward-Prowse free-kick, but United were soon 3-0 up, the previously excellent Bednarek turning Rashford's cross into his own net.
Cavani miscued from a Wan-Bissaka cross but made no mistake six minutes before the interval, steering a firm header past McCarthy from another precise Shaw delivery.
VAR intervened to disallow a second-half consolation goal from Che Adams, the Saints striker penalised for a fractional offside following a quick free-kick from Ward-Prowse.
Martial made it 5-0, taking down Fernandes' pass on the chest and firing high into the net, with McTominay then fizzing in a strike from outside the box two minutes later.
Fernandes converted from the penalty spot after Bednarek was sent off for a trip on Martial, who went on to add an eighth goal, though it was James who capped a stunning result with a clever flick from close range in added time.
What does it mean? United back on track with a flourish
This was United's first 9-0 league win since they thrashed Ipswich Town back in 1995, and it marked the only time in the post-Alex Ferguson era that they scored at least seven times at home in the top flight.
Given their relative problems at home – they have lost six times at Old Trafford in all competitions in 2020-21 – this was a welcome result and display, albeit one resulting from Jankewitz's recklessness and skewed by the debatable Bednarek red.
United are back into second, level on 44 points with City, who have two games in hand. Southampton, meanwhile, are 12th.
On Shaw footing
Shaw has been one of United's best performers this season – indeed, only Fernandes (84) has created more chances (45) than the left-back.
He created five in the first half alone here, the most he has ever managed in a league match, and his two assists matched the number he had produced across his previous 45 top-flight appearances.
Weird Al sets the tone
Jankewitz had not even touched the ball before his dangerous lunge towards McTominay ended his match and left Saints up against it.
It meant the game was taken out of the visitors' hands practically before it had got going, while attempts at damage limitation by Hasenhuttl did not pay off.
Key Opta facts
- Manchester United have won home and away against Southampton in a league season for the first time since their last title-winning campaign in 2012-13.
- Southampton have lost four consecutive Premier League games for the first time since April 2018, while they have lost by nine goals for the second time in the past two seasons (after their 9-0 defeat to Leicester in October 2019) – this is their biggest ever away defeat in any competition.
- United have scored six or more goals in a Premier League match for a second time this season (6-2 vs Leeds). It is the first time they have hit 6+ goals twice in a season since 2000-01 (vs Bradford and Arsenal).
- After winning just one of their first six Premier League home games this season and scoring just three goals, Manchester United have won four of their last five (L1), netting a total of 19 across those games.
- Only Eric Cantona and Dimitri Payet (both 33 games) have assisted 15 Premier League goals in fewer games than Bruno Fernandes, with tonight his 36th appearance in the competition.
- Alexandre Jankewitz is the first player to be sent off on his first Premier League start since Serge Aurier for Tottenham in September 2017, and at 19 years and 39 days old he is the youngest to see red in the competition since Jack Wilshire (18y 288d) in October 2010.
What's next?
These teams are back in action on Saturday. United are at home to Everton, with Southampton travelling to Newcastle United.
