A hat-trick from Amad Diallo in the final eight minutes of Thursday's visit from Southampton gave Manchester United a scarcely deserved 3-1 win.
The Saints had been able to muster just a single goal across their previous six Premier League fixtures, yet had the chance to score two or perhaps three times before eventually taking a heartily deserved lead in the 43rd minute.
After Andre Onana had denied Kamaldeen Sulemana, Mateus Fernandes and Tyler Dibling, United's goalkeeper was beaten by his own player. Manuel Ugarte unwittingly diverted a first-half corner kick beyond his teammate. After conceding from headers, volleys and directly from the flag, United had now added own goals to their growing repertoire of set-piece incompetence.
"We've scored a goal" was the ironic chant emerging from Southampton's away end at the first half's conclusion.
The travelling fans should have had plenty more to cheer about, but a combination of Onana's heroics and the familiar failings of their forward line ensured that their advantage remained just one precarious goal heading into the final ten minutes.
Amad, United's perennial saviour this season, took centre stage. Take advantage of some fortunate bounce of the ball, the in-form winger fired an equaliser underneath Aaron Ramsdale. The clock had ticked into the final minute of normal time when Amad picked the ball up again, player a devilish one-two with Christian Eriksen to volley the hosts in front.
The 22-year-old capped off a comeback to savour in stoppage time, gobbling up a slack touch from Taylor Harwood-Bellis to make it 3-1.
Man Utd player ratings (3-4-3)
Player | Rating |
|---|---|
GK: Andre Onana | 7.8/10 |
CB: Leny Yoro | 7.0/10 |
CB: Matthijs de Ligt | 7.7/10 |
CB: Lisandro Martinez | 6.8/10 |
RWB: Amad Diallo | 9.7/10 |
CM: Manuel Ugarte | 6.1/10 |
CM: Kobbie Mainoo | 6.0/10 |
LWB: Noussair Mazraoui | 8.0/10 |
RF: Alejandro Garnacho | 7.8/10 |
ST: Rasmus Hojlund | 6.2/10 |
LF: Bruno Fernandes | 7.5/10 |
SUB: Antony (46' for Mainoo) | 6.7/10 |
SUB: Joshua Zirkzee (53' for Hojlund) | 6.5/10 |
SUB: Toby Collyer (54' for Ugarte) | 6.5/10 |
SUB: Harry Maguire (83' for Yoro) | N/A |
SUB: Christian Eriksen (83' for Mazraoui) | N/A |
Subs not used: Altay Bayindir (GK), Godwill Kukonki, Tyrell Malacia, Casemiro
Southampton player ratings (3-4-1-2)
Player | Rating |
|---|---|
GK: Aaron Ramsdale | 5.7/10 |
CB: James Bree | 6.4/10 |
CB: Jan Bednarek | 6.9/10 |
CB: Taylor Harwood-Bellis | 6.1/10 |
RWB: Yukinari Sugawara | 6.4/10 |
CM: Lesley Ugochukwu | 7.0/10 |
CM: Joe Aribo | 7.4/10 |
LWB: Kyle Walker-Peters | 6.7/10 |
AM: Mateus Fernandes | 7.5/10 |
ST: Tyler Dibling | 6.5/10 |
ST: Kamaldeen Sulemana | 6.3/10 |
SUB: Will Smallbone (63' for Dibling) | 5.9/10 |
SUB: Flynn Downs (73' for Aribo) | 6.2/10 |
SUB: Adam Armstrong (73' for Fernandes) | 5.9/10 |
SUB: Nathan Wood (83' for Bednarek) | N/A |
SUB: Paul Onuachu (83' for Ugochukwu) | N/A |
Subs not used: Alex McCarthy (GK), Ryan Manning, Adam Lallana, Cameron Archer.
Player of the match - Amad Diallo (Man Utd)
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