Ralph fashions his Saints into a smart outfit

UNITED MADE TO LOOK SCRUFFY BY HASENHUTTL

RALPH HASENHUTTL looked very dapper indeed in his waistcoat. And his Southampton team very nearly pulled Manchester United’s expensive pants down.

In fact, Southampton should have tied this one up and been out on the town celebrating with the chilled glass of white wine it looked like their manager was ready for last night.

New £15million frontman Adam Armstrong wasted two glorious second-half chances to earn Saints their first win of the season. Even so, his team will be much the happier with this point.

United fought back from Fred’s first-half own goal when Mason Greenwood levelled — but this was a bitty, disjointed performance from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team.

The last time these two sides met, at Old Trafford in February, United thrashed Hasenhuttl’s team 9-0. Hasenhuttl, right, insisted that miserable night had not – and it did not look like it at St Mary’s yesterday. Saints started brightly as James Ward-Prowse, who signed a new five-year contract in the week, forced David De Gea to turn his free-kick around the post. United then somehow failed to take the lead when Paul Pogba’s looping header bounced back off the crossbar after Bruno Fernandes’ free-kick and Anthony Martial’s header from the rebound was brilliantly blocked on the line by Mohammed Salisu. United’s set pieces were causing real problems, as Pogba saw his shot blocked and then headed over. Saints were under pressure but, out of the blue, they took the lead on the half-hour mark.

FeXrnandes lost the ball as Jack Stephens went in hard, leaving United furiously claiming a foul, Xreferee but Craig Pawson waved play on.

Stephens found Moussa Djenepo and Armstrong’s clever flick reached Che Adams. The Scotland striker’s shot took a deflection off Fred and flew into the corner.

Alex McCarthy’s fine save from Nemanja Matic’s free-kick kept Saints’ lead intact.

Claims for a penalty were waved away as Pogba’s shot hit Salisu, but Saints were still nagging away, and the excellent Tino Livramento fired over.

Hasenhuttl’s side never looked totally secure at the back, however, and when Pogba danced into the area, Fernandes’s flick found Greenwood, who shot

home through a forest of legs. Pogba then superbly beat three men but shot wide.

Then came Armstrong’s two big moments. Harry Maguire lost the ball and Adams played the new Saints man into space – but De Gea made a fine save. A minute later, Armstrong missed a point-blank header after being set up by a flick from Adams.

But Saints – well-suited and booted, thank you. United? Bit scruffy, to be honest.