Southampton vs Manchester United Legends LIVE!
A team of Manchester United legends beat Southampton 5-3 at St Mary’s. Saturday’s friendly fixture on the south coast was a special anniversary charity match to mark 50 years since the famous 1976 FA Cup final, when the second-tier Saints stunned heavy favourites United 1-0 at the old Wembley Stadium thanks to a contentious second-half goal from the late Bobby Stokes.
It remains the only major trophy ever won by Southampton and their most famous day. Dimitar Berbatov, Louis Saha and Antonio Valencia were just some of the former United favourites in action, with Saha going off injured early and Berbatov having a penalty saved, while Southampton’s squad list included the likes of player-manager Matt Le Tissier, Francis Benali and Rickie Lambert.
It was an action-packed contest, with substitute Fraizer Campbell and Phil Bardsley both scoring twice for United and Danny Webber also on target in an eight-goal thriller that was level at 1-1 at the interval. Follow Southampton vs Manchester United Legends live below!
Southampton vs Man Utd Legends highlights
- GOAL! Bardsley's second seals United win
- GOAL! Webber notches late for United
- GOAL! Barnard levels things up once more
- Casual Berbatov penalty saved by Forecast
- GOAL! Campbell quickly restores United lead
- GOAL! Lambert on target for Saints
- GOAL! Campbell nets rebound after interval
- GOAL! Bardsley equalises on stroke of half-time
- Saha goes off injured in first half for United
- GOAL! Barnard scores after Berbatov hits post
Southampton 3-5 Man Utd Legends
17:03 , George FloodUnited win an eight-goal thriller after a rip-roaring second half at St Mary's, where it was 1-1 at the interval.
A really entertaining afternoon.
Southampton 3-5 Man Utd Legends
16:58 , George FloodFull-time
Southampton 3-5 Man Utd Legends
16:57 , George Flood93 mins: Webber is hungry for more goals in stoppage time as he charges into the box again, is denied by Forecast and looks to be pushed in the back.
No penalty.
GOAL! Southampton 3-5 Man Utd Legends | Phil Bardsley 90'
16:54 , George Flood90 mins: And that will do it!
United break away after an exquisite piece of skill by Berbatov.
Bardsley exchanges passes with Gibson inside the box before rifling in his second goal of the afternoon.
Southampton 3-4 Man Utd Legends
16:50 , George Flood84 mins: Webber simply has to make it 5-3 as he is set free by Campbell, with Monkou unable to get back.
He tries to psyche out Forecast, who stands tall and makes a key save.
This isn’t over just yet...
GOAL! Southampton 3-4 Man Utd Legends | Danny Webber 82'
16:47 , George Flood82 mins: Is that the winning goal?
Djordjic’s lofted pass catches Southampton’s defence completely off guard.
Campbell bears down on goal and chips across for Webber, who takes a touch before thundering in from point-blank range.
Southampton 3-3 Man Utd Legends
16:45 , George Flood82 mins: Yes he will!
Le Tissier is on for Tessem for the final few minutes and gets a great reception from the home crowd.
Djordjic has also replaced Djemba-Djemba for United.
Pilkington now saves from McQueen.
Southampton 3-3 Man Utd Legends
16:44 , George Flood80 mins: 10 minutes left at St Mary’s and Le Tissier is still sat on the bench.
Will he send himself on for a small cameo?
Southampton 3-3 Man Utd Legends
16:41 , George Flood75 mins: A huge chance for Southampton to make it 4-3 with 15 minutes to go, but Wanyama curls wide of the back post.
Southampton 3-3 Man Utd Legends
16:40 , George Flood74 mins: A stream of Southampton changes have rather slowed the momentum of this thrilling second half.
66-year-old Glenn Cockerill and 61-year-old Ken Monkou are among the players introduced.
GOAL! Southampton 3-3 Man Utd Legends | Lee Barnard 70'
16:34 , George Flood70 mins: It’s raining goals at St Mary’s!
Lambert is the architect again, with his pass being stepped over by Barnard, who lets it run for Hooiveld.
He knocks it back inside for Barnard to tap home his second goal of the day into an empty net.
Level once again with 20 minutes to go.
Southampton 2-3 Man Utd Legends
16:33 , George Flood69 mins: Valencia bursts into the box again and his fierce drive is parried behind by Forecast at the front post.
Southampton 2-3 Man Utd Legends
16:31 , George Flood68 mins: United have a penalty after Wanyama trips Berbatov inside the box.
Up steps the Bulgarian, whose casual effort is easily saved by Forecast.
Southampton still alive.
Southampton 2-3 Man Utd Legends
16:30 , George Flood65 mins: Campbell should have his hat-trick as his header from a Pugh cross rattles the crossbar and just bounces clear.
Southampton living so dangerously now.
GOAL! Southampton 2-3 Man Utd Legends | Fraizer Campbell 63'
16:27 , George Flood63 mins: United’s lead is very quickly restored!
So messy inside the Southampton box as Valencia and Berbatov combine to set up Campbell, whose shot is parried in by the goalkeeper.
Campbell on a hat-trick now. So avoidable from the hosts’ perspective.
GOAL! Southampton 2-2 Man Utd Legends | Rickie Lambert 61'
16:25 , George Flood61 mins: Level again on the south coast!
Good football from the Saints as substitute McQueen’s cross from the left just evades Hooiveld before being tapped home by Lambert.
Game on.
Southampton 1-2 Man Utd Legends
16:23 , George Flood58 mins: A jinking run from Surman into the United box, nutmegging Johnsen before being thwarted by Pugh.
Lambert now slides a cute pass between the legs of Djemba-Djemba intended for Barnard, who wants a penalty after tussling with Brown.
Nothing given.
Southampton 1-2 Man Utd Legends
16:20 , George Flood55 mins: More attacking intent from Southampton since going behind, but it’s relatively easy for Pilkington at the moment.
Danny Pugh is coming on for United now.
Le Tissier, meanwhile, has swapped the trousers and smart shoes for shorts and boots, so will be playing at some point in this second half.
Southampton 1-2 Man Utd Legends
16:18 , George Flood53 mins: Things are getting a bit feisty in the early stages of the second half with Gibson and Bardsley in the thick of things for United.
One of the worst shots I’ve seen for a long, long time from Tessem.
GOAL! Southampton 1-2 Man Utd Legends | Fraizer Campbell 49'
16:13 , George Flood49 mins: United are ahead early in the second half!
A lovely run from Webber, who leaves two defenders behind before his shot is spilled by the goalkeeper.
Campbell is on hand to turn home the rebound from close range.
Southampton 1-1 Man Utd Legends
16:11 , George FloodBack underway at St Mary’s.
Kevin Pilkington has replaced Raimond van der Gouw in goal for Manchester United.
Southampton 1-1 Man Utd Legends
15:57 , George FloodManchester United dominated that first half and are deservedly level at the break.
Phil Bardsley firing in after earlier hitting the post and not getting back for Southampton’s opener against the run of play, steered in by Lee Barnard from Andrew Surman’s cross.
Dimitar Berbatov also struck the woodwork early for United and Louis Saha went off injured.
Antonio Valencia has been the star of the show so far, denied a stonewall penalty for a challenge by Michael Svensson.
Southampton 1-1 Man Utd Legends
15:55 , George FloodHalf-time
GOAL! Southampton 1-1 Man Utd Legends | Phil Bardsley 47'
15:52 , George Flood47 mins: United are level on the stroke of half-time!
Campbell’s cross is knocked down by Webber into the path of Valencia, who helps the ball on to Bardsley.
The right-back then drills a low shot past Forecast and into the bottom corner.
Southampton 1-0 Man Utd Legends
15:51 , George Flood45 mins: Into two minutes of time added on at the end of the first half.
Webber shimmies well away from Svensson and his slammed effort at the front post is tipped wide by Forecast.
Southampton 1-0 Man Utd Legends
15:49 , George Flood43 mins: Djemba-Djemba - so good they named him twice - hacks down Wanyama and gives Southampton a free-kick in a dangerous area.
Lambert lets fly from range, with his fierce drive initially spilled but gathered at the second attempt by Van der Gouw.
Southampton 1-0 Man Utd Legends
15:45 , George Flood40 mins: Quick feet from Barnard on the edge of the United box as he tees up Pele (not that one), whose tame shot is easily held by Van der Gouw.
Southampton 1-0 Man Utd Legends
15:44 , George Flood38 mins: Still Valencia is by far United’s biggest threat, but he can’t pick out Campbell in the box.
Campbell then can’t connect with a decent cross from the left.
United need to get Berbatov into the game far more.
Southampton 1-0 Man Utd Legends
15:39 , George Flood34 mins: Benali is having a tough old first half against Valencia, to put it mildly.
The best player on the pitch by an absolute mile so far.
Southampton 1-0 Man Utd Legends
15:38 , George Flood32 mins: Simpson delivers a super cross from the United left intended for Campbell, but it’s flicked away.
Webber looks to spring them forward again on the counter-attack, but he’s caught Wanyama and the referee blows for a free-kick.
Southampton 1-0 Man Utd Legends
15:36 , George Flood30 mins: The game has entered a lull as we tick past the half-hour mark at St Mary’s.
Van der Gouw races out to thwart a dangerous-looking Saints attack.
Southampton 1-0 Man Utd Legends
15:33 , George Flood27 mins: Webber feeds Valencia, who gets into the box and is felled by Svensson, who also handballs it.
Two absolute stonewall penalties in one and the referee gives nothing!
Wow. United are furious - and with good reason.
Southampton 1-0 Man Utd Legends
15:31 , George Flood25 mins: Valencia finds Bardsley on the overlap down United’s right flank and his cross loops over Forecast and hits the base of the post!
Southampton break quickly and Lambert’s cross is diverted wide by Surman.
Southampton 1-0 Man Utd Legends
15:28 , George Flood22 mins: That didn’t look good for Saha and he limps off. Such a shame.
United are forced to introduce one of their three outfield substitutes already as Campbell does indeed enter the fray, joining Berbatov in attack.
Southampton 1-0 Man Utd Legends
15:26 , George Flood20 mins: Gibson’s hopeful effort for United is easily saved by Forecast.
Now Saha pulls off a nice turn outside the Southampton box, but his ankle gives way underneath him as he looks to shoot.
He stays down in pain and is actually clutching his right thigh.
An early entrance for Fraizer Campbell?
Southampton 1-0 Man Utd Legends
15:23 , George Flood17 mins: Some of the squad numbers on both sides this afternoon are the same, which is confusing at times.
Good work from Valencia again and United force a couple of corners in quick succession, taken by Bardsley.
Nothing doing, though the first caused problems for Svensson.
GOAL! Southampton 1-0 Man Utd Legends | Lee Barnard 13'
15:19 , George Flood13 mins: Deadlock broken against the run of play at St Mary’s!
Bardsley is in no man’s land as the ball is swept out left by Lambert to Surman, with Barnard then nipping in front of his marker and across goal to steer in the delivery.
Southampton 0-0 Man Utd Legends
15:18 , George Flood12 mins: Wes Brown pulls off a Cruyff turn for United before high-fiving Djemba-Djemba.
Valencia then does brilliantly to get to the byline again and pick out Saha, whose effort is blocked.
Valencia is bang up for this!
Southampton 0-0 Man Utd Legends
15:16 , George Flood11 mins: Lambert’s dangerous cross looking for Barnard at the back post is headed behind by Bardsley.
Van der Gouw claims the resulting corner confidently.
Southampton 0-0 Man Utd Legends
15:15 , George Flood9 mins: No further early chances to speak of at St Mary’s, where Lambert did well to keep a long ball in play inside the United box.
By the way, Saints player-manager Le Tissier is on the bench in trousers and proper shoes.
Will we see him on the pitch at all today?
Southampton 0-0 Man Utd Legends
15:11 , George Flood6 mins: A long-range Saints effort fails to test Van der Gouw, before Valencia is off again charging down that right flank.
He looks a real handful early on, linking up nicely with Berbatov.
Southampton 0-0 Man Utd Legends
15:09 , George Flood4 mins: United hit the post early on!
Wonderful work from Valencia to ease past Hooiveld, make his way to the byline and pull back smartly for Berbatov, who takes a good touch, turns and strokes a low effort off the woodwork.
He should have buried it. Big let-off for the hosts.
Southampton 0-0 Man Utd Legends
15:07 , George Flood2 mins: Barnard goes past Djemba-Djemba, who knocks down the Saints striker in a hefty early challenge for a friendly.
United with a lot of possession early on, but they are being pressed back deep inside their own half.
Saha drops back to earn a throw-in after a ropey pass back to Van der Gouw, who scrambles to boot clear.
Southampton vs Man Utd Legends
15:03 , George FloodHere we go on the south coast, where kick-off is a little late.
Southampton are in yellow shirts and blue shorts this afternoon, with Manchester United donning familiar red shirts with white shorts and socks.
Let’s hope the likes of Berbatov and Lambert can roll back the years to make this a cracking occasion.
Kick-off approaching
15:00 , George FloodHere come the teams at a sunny St Mary’s, where a decent crowd has assembled for this legends fixture to mark the 50th anniversary of the 1976 FA Cup final.
Kick-off is on the way!
I think Victor Wanyama, 34, must be the man with the most recent playing experience of everyone involved in today’s legends contest, which could give Southampton a key edge in midfield.
However, the former Tottenham and Celtic star only played four times in the Scottish Championship last season after reuniting with Neil Lennon at Dunfermline on a short-term deal in January 2025.
Wanyama was sent off on his debut for the Pars in a defeat away at Ayr.
There's a Kenyan, a mighty Kenyan 🇰🇪🎶 pic.twitter.com/PIvxuTLlxa
— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) March 28, 2026
Le Tissier on Southampton Legends bench as Lambert and Benali start
14:29 , George FloodSouthampton player-manager Matt Le Tissier is on the bench to start with at St Mary’s this afternoon.
Rickie Lambert is up top, alongside Lee Barnard - who did play together for the Saints.
Victor Wanyama, who had a disastrous short-lived stint at Dunfermline last season, is in midfield, as is ex-Norway international Jo Tessem and Pedro Miguel Cardoso Monteiro - AKA, Pele.
Andrew Surman is out on the wing, with Saints hero Francis Benali and Frazer Richardson at full-back.
The centre-back partnership is Jos Hooiveld and Michael Svensson, in front of goalkeeper Tommy Forecast.
Man Utd Legends start Berbatov and Saha up front
14:20 , George FloodThe first thing that stands out from those team sheets is Manchester United only having three outfield substitutes for a legends game - half the number of Southampton.
That could surely prove very costly indeed when the legs inevitably start to tire late on.
Premier League winners Dimitar Berbatov and Louis Saha both start in an eye-catching attack, alongside Danny Webber.
Antonio Valencia is out wide, with Eric Djemba-Djemba and Darron Gibson partnered in midfield.
Ronny Johnsen and Wes Brown are in central defence, with Phil Bardsley and Danny Simpson at full-back.
Raimond van der Gouw is in goal, backed up by Kevin Pilkington.
Bojan Djordjic, Danny Pugh and Fraizer Campbell are United’s outfield subs.
Manchester United Legends lineup
14:05 , George FloodManchester United Legends XI: Van der Gouw, Bardsley, Johnsen, Brown, Simpson, Gibson, Djemba-Djemba, Valencia, Saha, Webber, Berbatov
Subs: Djordjic, Pugh, Campbell, Pilkington
Southampton Legends lineup
14:03 , George FloodSouthampton Legends XI: Forecast, Richardson, Hooiveld, Svensson, Benali, Surman, Wanyama, Tessem, Pele, Lambert, Barnard
Subs: Blake, Le Tissier, Cockerill, Monkou, Hughes, Forbes, McQueen
Manchester United Legends check in
13:59 , George FloodDimitar Berbatov looking as suave as ever as the Manchester United Legends check in at St Mary’s...
The Reds are in the building 😎#MULegends have arrived at St. Mary’s for today’s match against @SouthamptonFC 🔴🟡#MUFC | #Southampton pic.twitter.com/tN8XG1EHpd
— Manchester United Foundation (@MU_Foundation) March 28, 2026
Southampton's penalty experts
13:53 , George FloodSouthampton should be absolutely fine if there is any need for penalties this afternoon.
Two of the finest strikers of the ball from the spot that you are ever likely to see in Matt Le Tissier and Rickie Lambert.
"Right, who's taking pens?" 🤣@mattletiss7 | @SaintLambo07 pic.twitter.com/Wvk7abnGGU
— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) March 28, 2026
The Southampton Legends have arrived at St Mary’s...
St Mary's arrivals: Legends edition 🥰 pic.twitter.com/KmCkL4sti8
— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) March 28, 2026
Legends game marks 50 years since 1976 FA Cup final upset
13:32 , George FloodAs mentioned, today’s legends match at St Mary’s is taking place in order to mark the 50th anniversary of the 1976 FA Cup final.
That famous showpiece at the old Wembley Stadium saw then Second Division Southampton stun heavily favoured and top-tier Manchester United 1-0 thanks to a controversial 83rd-minute winner from the late Bobby Stokes, who many claimed was offside as he fired past Alex Stepney.
It remains one of the biggest upsets in FA Cup final history that also included one of its most contentious goals.
For Southampton, it was a first and so far only major trophy in their history, followed by victory in the Women’s FA Cup final in the same season.
Manchester United Legends squad
13:18 , George FloodIt’s not quite as illustrious a squad list as we have seen for some of the Manchester United Legends games in recent years, in which Wayne Rooney and Michael Carrick have been among just some of the top-level former superstars in action.
But there’s still plenty of firepower in the likes of Dimitar Berbatov and Louis Saha, with Antonio Valencia and Wes Brown also included along with the likes of Treble winner Ronny Johnsen.
United will be managed today by iconic former captain Bryan Robson.
Manchester United Legends squad
Raimond van der Gouw, Ronny Johnsen, Wes Brown, Louis Saha, Dimitar Berbatov, Eric Djemba-Djemba, Antonio Valencia, Danny Simpson, Kevin Pilkington, Danny Pugh, Phil Bardsley, Danny Webber, Darron Gibson, Bojan Djordjic, Fraizer Campbell
Southampton Legends squad
13:07 , George FloodBoth squads feature famous players from across different eras, with Southampton boasting the likes of Matt Le Tissier, Francis Benali and Rickie Lambert.
Le Tissier looks set for a player-manager role with the Saints.
Southampton Legends squad
Tommy Forecast, Frazer Richardson, Francis Benali, Mark Blake, Rickie Lambert, Matt Le Tissier, Glenn Cockerill, Michael Svensson, Andrew Surman, Victor Wanyama, Lee Barnard, Pele, Jo Tessem, Ken Monkou, David Hughes, Jos Hooiveld. Mark Forbes, Sam McQueen
How to watch Southampton vs Manchester United Legends
13:01 , George FloodTV channel: In the UK, today’s legends game will be televised live on MUTV. Coverage starts at 2pm GMT.
Live stream: MUTV subscribers can also watch the match live online via the MUTV app.
A subscription currently costs £29.99 for the year.
Southampton vs Manchester United Legends live
12:57 , George FloodHello and welcome to Standard Sport’s live coverage of Southampton vs Manchester United Legends.
Today’s special friendly fixture on the south coast features an array of former stars from both clubs and marks 50 years since the Saints’ shock triumph in the 1976 FA Cup final at the old Wembley Stadium.
Kick-off at St Mary’s is at 3pm GMT, so stay tuned for match build-up, squad lists and live updates across the afternoon.
