Saints strike late to snatch point
AT OLD TRAFFORD
SOUTHAMPTON had Michael Obafemi to thank after a lastgasp equaliser from the substitute ensured the visitors left Old Trafford with a share of the spoils.
Ralph Hasenhuttl’s men remain in twelfth place with three games left to play but the draw could prove costly for Manchester United, who missed the chance to leapfrog Leicester and Chelsea and move into third place.
It was the Saints who gained the upper hand in the contest early on when they profited from pressing their opponents aggressively. They caught out the hosts’ defence, with Danny Ings springing forward before picking out Stuart Armstrong at the far post.
The Scotland internationalist took a touch before coolly slotting the ball home to give his side an unlikely lead with 12 minutes on the clock.
That lead would be shortlived, though. On the 20-minute mark, Paul Pogba picked out his compatriot Anthony Martial, who did well to hold off three Saints defenders before teeing up Marcus Rashford to level the scores from close range.
The same two United players combined once again just three minutes later to nudge Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side in front.
Martial drove down the left flank at Kyle Walker-Peters but the Southampton man was unable to stop the Frenchman cutting inside and firing a powerful effort beyond Alex McCarthy in the visitors’ goal.
United looked to have the three points all sewn up until Obafemi pounced deep into stoppage time.
The Saints admirably pressed for an equaliser and it arrived in the 96th minute when the Irish forward converted a corner to give his side a deserved point.