Full time: Manchester United 2-0 Southampton
An eventually comfortable win for Manchester United, with Zlatan Ibrahimovic scoring both goals – the first a thrilling, cavemanic header. Paul Pogba improved as the match progressed and showed his class with some penetrating runs and cocky passing.
Southampton had more of the ball and should not be remotely discouraged by their performance, the thought of which will keep their fans warm for at least 10 minutes of their 47-journey home. Thanks for your company; goodnight.
Updated
90+3 min In the last minute of added time, Pogba spanks wide of the near post from 18 yards after fine play from Mkhitaryan.
89 min Still no sign of Marcus Rashford, as Chris Smalling comes on to replace Wayne Rooney. He put in a good cross for the first goal but was otherwise ineffective.
88 min Targett’s low cross is curled a few yards wide of the near post by Tadic. That, as Alan Smith says on Sky, sums up their night – they have played some really good football but have not been efficient in the final third.
86 min “Evening Rob,” says Simon McMahon. “Your other reader may not know that Pogba’s brother Mathias plays for Partick Thistle in the SPFL. I saw him play at Tannadice the other week in the League Cup. He’s not worth 100 million euros, but could his brother cut it at a wet and windy Tannadice in front of 4000 fans on a Tuesday night?”
84 min Southampton make their final substitution, with Jay Rodriguez replacing an aggrieved Shane Long.
83 min The sliding Bailly does well to intercept Targett’s dangerous low cross. Southampton have shown an admirable refusal to accept they have lost this game.
Updated
82 min Ander Herrera replaces Anthony Martial, which suggests a switch to 4-3-3 and a shutting up of shop.
Updated
80 min “Do you know what were the pre-season odds for Ibrahimovic to finish top scorer, or to win the Player of the Year awards?” asks David Wall. “For someone with his record there seemed more talk of him as someone merely doing a valedictory tour than of him as someone perhaps a little past his prime but still a bonafide star, game-changing, season-shaping player. Now he’s taking penalties as well as being United’s main striker he’s sure to be in the running to lead the goal-scoring tables (barring injury, of course).”
I don’t know the odds. But yes, for a team in transition it looks like an extremely smart short-term move. He’s 34 going on 29. The three behind him isn’t quite right yet, though.
79 min The game isn’t quite petering out - Southampton keep coming back for more - but there is a persuasive sense that it’s over as a contest.
77 min So what’s going on with Marcus Rashford then? If I were a United fan that would worry me a bit, because he is a glorious talent.
Updated
76 min Pogba marauds infield from the left and then curls well wide from just outside the box.
74 min Long flicks a near-post header just wide of the far post from Soares’s cross, and then Mata is replaced by Henrikh Mkhitaryan.
Updated
73 min If it goes to 2-1 then Mourinho might take Pogba off but there’s no need at the moment, especially as he’s having his best period of the match with the ball. Tonight is all about Pogba and Ibrahimovic but Valencia has been a revelation going forward, close to his 2009-12 best.
69 min Pogba, who is starting to boss the game, gives it to Valencia on the right. He skins Targett and stands up a deep cross to Ibrahimovic, who rises imperiously and then completely mistimes a looping header back across goal. Rooney was flagged offside but it wasn’t going in anyway.
67 min “Rob,” says Mark Tuite, “who is this Tasic you keep banging on about?”
No idea. You’re welcome!
66 min United are playing some great stuff now. Pogba ignores the cries of “shooooot” and gives it wide to Ibrahimovic. He plays a deliberate chip all the way across the area to Martial, who dummies Soares by pulling it down on his chest but then seems to forget to shoot and is tackled by the recovering Soares. Moments later, Davis is replaced by Charlie Austin for Southampton.
Updated
65 min Martial scorches past Fonte and into the area, where his shot is outstandingly blocked by Van Dijk. The ball rebounds to Rooney, who chips it pitifully out of play. Moments later, Martial finds the underlapping Shaw in the area and his cutback is cleared. That was a great run from Shaw.
Updated
63 min Pogba beats Clasie beautifully without touching the ball to start a move that leads to a corner on the right. It’s curled in and headed over from six yards by Pogba, under pressure from a defender.
61 min A mistake from Zlatan allows Southampton to break. Van Dijk’s sot is blocked by Bailly and then Clasie splashes the follow-up miles wide from 20 yards. Southampton have done lots of things very well tonight; United have just been more efficient.
58 min Southampton continue to push forward. A cross from the right is flicked towards Redmond, who can’t quite get it out of his feet and eventually shoots wide under pressure from Mata. That was a decent opportunity.
In an unrelated development, it turns out the Tadic goal was disallowed, rightly, for offside.
55 min Pogba’s confidence is one of his greatest strengths. He’ll take the ball in any situation, no matter how tight or dangerous. There are still doubts as to whether he’s a better central-midfield option than Rafael and Ji-sung Park but he is a fascinating talent.
Updated
GOAL! Manchester United 2-0 Southampton (Ibrahimovic 52 pen)
Zlatan makes it four goals in three games with a good penalty, sidefooting into the bottom-left corner before roaring to the crowd while flexing his muscles. He is a preposterous and magnificent man.
Updated
PENALTY TO MANCHESTER UNITED
A daft trip by Clasie on Shaw, who was going nowhere. It’s a clear penalty.
50 min Martial comes infield from the left and hits a dangerous low shot that bounces just in front of Forster. He does well to palm it away and it’s lumped clear by a defender.
49 min Tasic has a goal disallowed for a foul on Bailly. His lack of complaint suggests it was fair enough, though we haven’t seen a replay. It was a smart flicked header but I think he shoved Bailly out of the way.
Updated
48 min “In Pogba it looks to me like Mourinho has finally got his hands on the Gerrard type player he’s wanted since he came to the Premier League,” says Phil Martin. “It’ll be interesting to see what he does with him, does he coach out the risks, or build his team around covering for them?” He’ll change him a bit but Pogba’s main weakness is decision-making and that should improve naturally. I can’t see Mourinho going the full Joe Cole, certainly. I’d imagine he’ll eventually play 4-3-3 and let Pogba run free.
47 min An intrepid run from the impressive Shaw takes him to the edge of the area before he is tackled. The ball runs to Mata, who wallops it into orbit from range.
46 min Southampton begin the second half, trailing to a moment of Zlatanic magic in a first half that they dominated.
Kipling latest “‘If you can concede to a ridiculous header from a certifiable genius, And still knock it about prettily in the middle of the park, You’ll be a man, my son,’” says Matt Dony of my 42nd-minute entry. “Of course, the implication being that ‘manhood’ is something to aspire to and inherently better than those weak women. Typical media sexism. You’ll be blaming the immigrants, next.”
Nigel Farage is my Rushmore, what of it?
Half-time reading
Half time: Manchester United 1-0 Southampton
United lead, slightly against the run of play, through a fierce header from Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Paul Pogba has been brave and progressive in possession, though not always successfully. Southampton have had more of the ball and are certainly in this. See you in 10 minutes!
44 min Davis, who has probably had more of the ball than any midfielder on either side, drills over the top from 25 yards.
43 min Pogba thrills the crowd with a fine run straight down the centre of the pitch before playing the ball to Martial. His cross is disappointing, just as he has been so far. His unhappy Euro 2016 might have affected his confidence.
42 min Southampton have reacted to the goal in a manner that would please Kipling, resuming their confident possession football. They have been the better team, although let the record show that United seem happy enough playing on the counter-attack.
41 min “All the attributes of an English No9 allied to the nonchalant sills of a Balkan No10,” says Adam Hirst. “Wish he’d arrived six years ago.” What, about of Bebe? No thanks.
39 min “Judging purely from the Man Utd teamsheet, they don’t appear to have a midfield of any description,” says Ian Copestake. “Unless you count Fellaini as a midfield target man.”
GOAL! Manchester United 1-0 Southampton (Ibrahimovic 36)
United take the lead against the run of play with a belting header from Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Valencia found Rooney on the right, and he did well to keep the ball in play. Then he curled a high, outswinging cross towards the far post, where Ibrahimovic beasted above Fonte and thumped a downward header into the net from 10 yards.
Updated
34 min A well-struck low shot from Rooney, 25 yards from goal, is comfortably saved by Forster.
32 min A chance for Southampton. Tadic sweeps an excellently early ball into the space behind Bailly to find Long in an inside-left position just outside the box. With Bailly making up the ground, Long hits a feeble low shot straight at De Gea. That was the best chance so far.
30 min Mata’s volleyed pass somehow finds its way to Ibrahimovic, whose cross from the right towards Rooney takes an important deflection off the sliding Van Dijk and goes behind for a corner.
29 min A Hollywood move from United: Pogba’s dink, Mata’s header across the box and Zlatan’s flying volley over the bar. It was a quarter-chance at best.
Updated
28 min Pass count: Man Utd 94-160 Southampton. United don’t really mind playing on the counter-attack, though having pace up front would help. Rooney is, sad to say, peripheral at best and embarrassing at worst.
26 min Davis’s flat, fast free-kick finds Van Dijk, whose volley is well blocked by Valencia. The ball comes to Long, who rattles it just wide of the near post. There were cheers from some of the Southampton fans, who thought it was in; a fleeting moment of joy before the reality of a 47-hour trip home with nothing but a bottle of warm Volvic to sustain them hit home once again.
Updated
25 min At the moment United look like a collection of players rather than a team. It’s a cliché but it’s true. The sooner they get Rashford in the side, for Mata, Rooney or even Martial, the better they will be. Southampton have a serious chance of winning this game.
23 min “Thanks for the MBM, it is the only way I have to follow the game while waiting for my flight in Ougadougou airport,” writes Danny Kelly. “Do you think Ferguson secretly hopes that Pogba will be a failure thus vindicating his, now infamous, decision not to offer him a better contract and keep him at the club?”
I thought the issue was playing time rather than the quality of his contract? Either way, I doubt Ferguson cares, at least not in terms of professional vindication. It might be different on a personal level. He can’t be happy about Pogba or Mourinho being at the club.
22 min Valencia has been United’s best attacker so far. Pogba has been up and down but with his usual willingness to take the risky option whenever possible. Rooney and Zlatan have been anonymous.
19 min Redmond spins neatly behind Bailly and into the area on the right. Tadic is free at the far post, a few yards from goal, but Redmond just overhits the cross. Southampton are, at the moment, playing like the home side.
18 min I certainly wouldn’t rule out a third consecutive Southampton win at Old Trafford. They have started this game very impressively, especially when you consider they were supposed to roll over.
17 min “Poor Rob,” says Ian Copestake. “I bet you would like to wet your whistle this footballing Friday night. Have Sky attached some epithet to this day of days? Super is obviously not applicable or alliterative enough, but it must be an f-word of sorts.”
Aren’t they just calling it FNF? Or, if you’re a Southampton fan who has to get home tonight, FFS.
15 min A cross from the left eventually bounces to Tadic, who volleys into orbit from a tight angle. This is a pretty open game. But then this is not a typical Jose Mourinho side; they are pretty top heavy.
Updated
13 min Ibrahimovic on the left eases the ball back to Pogba, who opens his body smartly just inside the box. and hits a decent shot that is patted down by Forster.
Updated
13 min “Hi,” says John. “Pogba’s headphones are P7 not P5.”
Typical embarrassing Grauniad error. Somebody deserves a P45 for that, and I’m not talking about headphones.
12 min Romeu is indeed replaced by Jordi Clasie. Mata’s corner is headed clear by Shane Long.
11 min Valencia combines well with Mata, whose return pass is put behind for a corner by Davis. Romeu is down again, and might need to be replaced before the corner is taken.
10 min “‘If two teams play a game of football and the media couldn’t give a flying toss about the smaller team, do they actually exist?’,” begins Tamara Hampton, quoting an earlier entry. “So does that make Southampton #SchrödingersTeam?”
In modern football, Schrödinger has a lot of teams.
9 min There’s a break in play while Romeu receives treatment. He’s fine.
7 min Southampton’s passing has been confident and assured in the early stages. It’s been a bright, breezy start to the game.
5 min Valencia, who has staked an early claim to be the surprise success of Mourinho’s first season, wins a corner with the kind of no-frills run he used to attempt all the time in the Ferguson years. Nowt comes from it but that was more promising for United.
4 min After a long spell of Southampton possession, United get to touch the ball. Pogba tries a cute pass to Ibrahimovic that is well cut out by Soares.
1 min Peep peep! United kick off from right to left. Pogba gives the ball away immediately and Southampton break dangerously to win a free-kick right on the edge of the box. It’s a fair way to the left of centre but well within shooting range. Tadic blasts it straight into the wall.
“Who is the ref?” asks Peter Nelson, politely highlight the inadequacy of my work thus far. It is Anthony Taylor, and he’s about to moisten his whistle.
“I don’t have any answers to the questions in your Preamble but the Bowers & Wilkins P5 headphones Pogba is wearing are really great,” says Petter Settli, chief executive of Bowers & Wilkins . They are
Pre-match reading
Wouldn’t bother with the article but some of the comments are well banter.
Here’s our man Ryan Dunne “Is it wrong to wonder where Fellaini-Pogba ranks on the most mismatched midfield pairings, talent-wise?”
I can’t believe you’re writing Pogba off already. Honk! Ho-honk! Honk? Actually I think Roy Keane and Michael Appleton played together against Swindon in 1996, which is a bit of a mismatch.
“Sky’s new show pretty much redefining the term ‘one-eyed’,” says Gary Naylor. “I don’t often find fault with Sky’s sports coverage, but this is ridiculous. There are two teams playing tonight.”
Ah, but you know what the philosophers say: if two teams play a game of football and the media couldn’t give a flying toss about the smaller team, do they actually exist?
Team news YES YES POGBA STARTS
Manchester United (4-2-3-1) De Gea; Valencia, Bailly, Blind, Shaw; Fellaini, Pogba; Mata, Rooney, Martial; Ibrahimovic.
Substitutes: Romero, Smalling, Herrera, Schneiderlin, Young, Mkhitaryan, Rashford.
Southampton (4-D-2) Forster; Soares, Fonte, Van Dijk, Targett; Romeu; Hojbjerg, Davis; Tadic; Long, Redmond.
Substitutes: McCarthy, Yoshida, Clasie, Rodriguez, Austin, Ward-Prowse, Pied.
Updated
Preamble
Hello. In the last few years Old Trafford has doubled up as a public nap station, but nobody will be getting 40 winks tonight. Manchester United host Southampton in a match that is full of talking points before a ball has been miskicked.
Will Paul Pogba start on his return to Old Trafford? Where is Stormzy watching the game? How will Zlatan fare on his home debut? Will Jose Mourinho be able to maintain as his poker face as he finally, finally lives his dream of walking down the Old Trafford touchline as Manchester United manager? Will he continue to ignore the otherworldly talent of Marcus Rashford so that he can postpone an awkward conversation with Wayne Rooney?
Will anyone acknowledge the existence of Southampton, let alone point out that they have won here in the past two seasons? Will Southampton’s fans make it home for Sunday lunch? Is the introduction of Friday Night Football a deliberate attempt to sabotage the viewing ratings of Nightmare Tenants, Slum Landlords on Channel 5? And what did happen to Arthur Graham?
Kick off at 8pm BST.
Updated
Rob will be with you shortly. In the meantime, why not have a read of Sachin Nakrani on Friday night football and GIL! SCOTT! HERON!
