United on cloud nine as Saints sin
Hassenhuttl on the end of another humiliation
MANCHESTER United equalled their Premier League record win as Southampton found themselves on the wrong end of a 9-0 scoreline once again.
Alexandre Jankewitz’s red card within 90 seconds of his first senior start for a terrible challenge on Scott McTominay made an uphill battle even tougher for injury-hit Saints.
It was a gut punch that meant it was a case of how many Southampton would concede on the way to their fourth consecutive league loss, with Jan Bednarek also sent off as United went on to win 9-0.
It was an unwanted repeat of the scoreline that Ralph Hasenhuttl’s men fell to against Leicester in October 2019 as United equalled their record Premier League win against Ipswich from 1995.
The victory moved United level on points with leaders Manchester City and dramatically cut the goal difference gap, with full debut Jankewitz’s red card from Mike Dean after 81 seconds making this a night to forget for Saints.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Marcus Rashford scored before Bednarek’s own goal, with Edinson Cavani heading home before the break.
Substitute Anthony Martial rifled home United’s fifth before McTominay scored from distance, with things
unravelling spectacularly at the death.
Dean was advised to check the pitchside monitor after Martial went down under very little pressure from Bednarek, yet kept with his decision and surprisingly sent off the Poland defender.
Bruno Fernandes scored the penalty, before Martial and fellow substitute Daniel James made it nine.
This night will haunt Southampton for a long while to come.
Elsewhere, Gary Cahill marked his return with the decisive goal as Crystal Palace came from behind to win
2-1 at Newcastle and claim back-to-back Premier League victories for the first time since September.
The England defender struck with a 25th-minute header to seal an entertaining encounter at a wintry St James’ Park four minutes after Jairo Riedewald, who had also been named only among the substitutes against Wolves at the weekend, had blasted them level from 25 yards to cancel out Jonjo Shelvey’s early opener.
Earlier in the evening, Mikel Arteta hit out at the decision to send off David Luiz after nine-man Arsenal’s 2-1 defeat at Wolves.
Defender Luiz and goalkeeper Bernd Leno were shown red cards as Joao Moutinho’s stunning effort earned Wolves their first win in nine games.
Nicolas Pepe had given the Gunners the lead as they threatened to run riot in the first half. But Luiz was dismissed by referee Craig Pawson after conceding a penalty for a trip on Willian Jose which allowed Ruben Neves to level and Leno saw red when he handled outside his area in the second half.
There appeared to be little contact between Luiz and the striker and boss Arteta confirmed the club would consider an appeal.
“I would say yes, let’s go straight away, but we have to speak and make the decision [about] what’s the best thing to do,” said Arteta, with Arsenal 10th and four points adrift of the top five.
“I am sitting here and I’m expecting to see something and I’m not seeing anything. It changed the game – to play with 10 men for 45 minutes in the Premier League without your centre-back against this opposition, of course it changes the game.”
Meanwhile, Chris Wilder insists Sheffield United are not getting carried away after fighting back to beat West Brom and keep alive their hopes of pulling off the greatest of escapes in the Premier League.
The bottom two clashed at a wet Bramall Lane in a game that Blades boss Wilder had admitted was a must-win for his team, while Baggies boss Sam Allardyce said it was a “must not lose”.
It was Wilder who finished the evening the happier man after goals from Jayden Bogle and captain Billy Sharp overturned the half-time lead given to the visitors by Matty Phillips’ strike.
“It’s a big win but there is still a long way to go and we are not getting carried away at all, there is a huge challenge in front of us,” said Wilder.
“But we are alive and fighting and that’s all we can do and we will carry that on against Chelsea.”