Manchester United’s 3-1 comeback victory over Southampton at Old Trafford will hardly go down as a vintage performance, despite the scoreline.
Paul Scholes, one of the most decorated midfielders in United’s history, delivered a searing critique of his former club’s display, branding their performance “as bad as you’ll see” for 80 minutes. The Red Devils needed a late flurry from Amad Diallo to avoid what could have been an embarrassing result against the Premier League’s bottom-placed side.
For much of the match, Southampton, spearheaded by Kamaldeen Sulemana, Tyler Dibling, and Mateus Fernandes, dictated the tempo and looked the more cohesive unit. Scholes, speaking on TNT Sports, didn’t hold back in his assessment. “For 80 minutes, they [Southampton] were so much better than Manchester United, passing the ball, technically, tactically,” he said. “This performance was as bad as you’ll see, especially against a team sitting at the bottom of the league.”
The Saints, despite their lowly position, started brightly and exploited gaps in United’s defense. Leny Yoro, in particular, endured a torrid evening, struggling to cope with Sulemana’s direct running. Southampton took a deserved lead when Manuel Ugarte inadvertently turned in a corner—their first set-piece goal of the season. The visitors could have doubled their lead early in the second half, only for Matthijs de Ligt’s crucial block to deny Sulemana.
For United, the first 80 minutes were marked by disjointed play, sloppy passing, and a lack of urgency. Scholes singled out Rasmus Højlund for criticism, noting, “The control when it came into Rasmus Højlund was so poor at times, he kept giving it back to them. Southampton were on a different level.” Manager Ruben Amorim cut a frustrated figure on the touchline, likely fuming at his side’s inability to control a game they were expected to dominate.
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Amad Diallo, however, emerged as the savior. The young winger’s introduction turned the tide, as he netted a stunning 12-minute hat-trick to rescue all three points. His first goal came in the 82nd minute, sparking a remarkable turnaround that left the Southampton defense reeling. Diallo’s performance was one of few bright spots in an otherwise bleak evening for United, earning him the player of the match award.
“Amad is the only one who can take credit out of this game tonight,” Scholes remarked. “It’s solely because of him that United won. The rest of the players need to take a long, hard look at themselves.”
Southampton manager Ivan Juric didn’t mince his words either, lamenting his team’s inability to see out the game. “Much better than Manchester United for most of the game,” Juric fumed. “Last 15 minutes we were like innocent kids. Not good mentality. To win this game, you can’t play 75 minutes. For the last 15 minutes, you have to be more malicious, more evil to win.”
United’s victory propelled them three places up the table to 12th, while Southampton remain marooned at the bottom with just six points—a dismal record at this stage of the season. Despite the win, questions linger over United’s consistency and quality. This was another game that highlighted their reliance on individual brilliance to paper over tactical and technical cracks.
For fans, the late drama offered a mix of relief and frustration. While Diallo’s heroics showcased the young star’s potential, the broader team performance left much to be desired. Ruben Amorim faces a growing challenge to instill a coherent game plan and raise the levels of his underperforming squad.
The match also underscored Southampton’s struggle to convert promising performances into points. Sulemana and his teammates often carved through United’s midfield with ease, but their lack of ruthlessness in front of goal proved costly. If they are to pull off a miraculous escape from relegation, they’ll need to find a way to turn dominance into victories.
In the end, this was a night that belonged to Amad Diallo. His match-winning contribution was a reminder of the talent United have at their disposal. But as Scholes’ withering post-match analysis suggested, the club must address their glaring deficiencies if they are to climb back to the heights expected of them. For now, the Red Devils remain a team searching for both form and identity in what has been a turbulent season.
