MAN UNITED 9, SOUTHAMPTON 0
It was a never-to-be-forgotten night for Manchester United as they matched the Premier League’s record score with a nine-goal demolition of sorry Southampton who ended a miserable night with nine men.
Only three times in the Premier League era has there been a 9-0 winning margin, and the Reds have achieved this feat twice as this was their biggest win since the win by that margin against Ipswich Town in March 1995.
And it was the fourth time in the club’s long and illustrious history they have triumphed by a 9-0 margin.
What is more United had seven different players on the scoresheet, only the second time this has happened in a Premier League game, as they drew level on points with neighbours City at the top but still, amazingly, have an inferior goal difference.
It was always going to be a long night for the Saints from the moment they had Swiss midfielder Alexandre Jankewitz sent off after only 81 seconds.
They finished with nine men as they equalled the heaviest defeat in the club’s history which was set last season when they were beaten 9-0 at home by Leicester City.
Embed from Getty ImagesA delighted Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said: “We played it really well and it was about playing the game properly, be focused and about getting habits right.
“We shared the goals between the players. When the game starts like it does, it’s always if you can get the first goal as we have seen so many examples of 10 men closing up shop and getting a draw.
“We’ve been waiting for them to show the magic and it was a night for them to go and enjoy it. We’ve not had many times where we could just enjoy the second half.
“You get lots of confidence from a performance like this, scoring goals is always good for a team.”
On the first red card, he added: “You don’t see many of those tackles anymore. I’m glad Scott is well and he’s got away with just a couple of bruises.
Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl said: “One man down after three minutes against this opponent, congrats to Man United and they worked us off and did not stop scoring. The second red card is most disappointing, we don’t have any more players.
“Jan Bednarek does not kill him but I do not want to speak about the referee. Last week he was our VAR and made his mark in the game. It was a stupid foul from the young lad and kills everything.
“When you come here with two goalkeepers on the bench, I wanted to give a few young lads to show up. When I have seen what is going on it is better to take them out because 9-0 on debut is not a good score to have.
“We tried in the second half to keep a clean sheet as much as we could but at nine men it was too easy for them to score.
“What can I say? It is horrible but we stood up after the first 9-0 and we have to do that again. I said at the time we do not need it again but when we have it again you have to take it.
United made one change to the side that drew against Arsenal on Saturday as Mason Greenwood replaced Paul Pogba.
Saints had four alterations to the side that lost to Aston Villa last time out.
Moussa Djenepo, Che Adams came in as did Kayne Ramsay and 19-year-old Jankewitz who were both making just their second league appearances for the Saints.
Theo Walcott, Oriol Romeu, Ibrahim Diallo and Nathan Redmond dropped out.
There was a dramatic start with Jankewitz sent off on his first Premier League start after only 81 seconds.
It followed a high challenge which left stud marks raked down the thigh of Scott McTominay and referee Mike Dean immediately brandished a red car.
It left Saints to play more than 88 minutes with a numerical disadvantage after Jankewitz became one of only four players to be sent off in the opening two minutes of a Premier League match.
The breakthrough came in the 18th minute through an unlikely double act.
Left-back Luke Shaw crossed from the left and Aaron Wan-Bissaka popped up at the far post to convert from three yards, only his second goal in 75 appearances for the Reds.
They doubled their advantage in the 25th minute when Greenwood provided the assist, cutting the ball for Rashford to slot home a low shot from 10 yards his 16th goal of the season to overcome legend Eric Cantona in the club’s all-time scoring list.
Saints would have halved the deficit but for a fine save from David De Gea to turn over an effort from free-kick specialist James Prowse-Ward.
And it was game over when United made it 3-0 nine minutes later, Jan Bednarek putting through his own goal as he slid in to clear Rashford’s low cross.
United hit a fourth in the 39th minute as Edinson Cavani headed home a cross from Shaw who provided his second assist. It was the Uruguayan’s sixth goal for the Reds.
It was the second time this season United had scored four goals in the opening half as they also achieved it against Leeds.
And it was the first time since September 2016 against Leicester that they had been 4-0 ahead at half-time.
It almost got even worse when Dean pointed for a penalty following Ramsey’s challenge on Cavani but it was overturned by VAR which ruled it was outside the box.
Saints, ironically, were also 5-0 down at half time against Leicester when they lost 9-0.
United made a double change at the break as Shaw and Cavani made way for Anthony Martial and Donny van de Beek.
Saints thought they had a goal back in the 53rd minute but Che Adams’ effort was cruelly ruled out by the tiniest of margins, possibly an armpit.
Adams latched on to Ward-Prowse’s free kick and profited after midfielder Fred, playing where Shaw was at left back, failed to clear.
Saints had reorganised defensively and United were finding them impossible to break down as Solskjaer made a third change on the hour as Rashford was replaced by Daniel James.
It was not until the 69th minute that United scored their first goal of the half to make it 5-0.
Bruno Fernandes lofted a ball to Martial who turned Bednarek to fire into the roof of the net from six yards, his sixth goal of the season.
Two minutes later it was 6-0 after Greenwood’s shot was beaten out by Alex McCarthy and cleared to McTominay who scored with a terrific shot on the run from 30 yards, his fifth of the season.
It was almost seven when Martial dinked McCarthy only to see his effort trickle agonisingly wide.
Saints crumbled as United scored three more goals in the last 10 minutes.
Fernandes made it 7-0 with a penalty which saw Bednarek sent off for denying Martial who was deemed to be clean through.
There was drama as VAR’s Graham Scott could not make a definitive ruling so sent Dean to look at the pitchside monitor to make the ultimate decision before Fernandes netted his 17th goal of the season.
The nine men of the visitors were undone again in the 90th minute when Martial converted Wan-Bissaka’s cross from six yards.
And there was worse to come when United made it nine in the third of three added minutes when Fernandes headed Greenwood’s cross back across goal for James to slot home his third of the season to make it a record-equalling scoreline.