WRECK United let slip another
IT’S GETTING to the point where the Glazer family will be beefing up security.
Green and gold merchandise will do a roaring trade for the hawkers who flog their wares on Sir Matt Busby Way.
And MUTV will be replaying games from a time when Cristiano Ronaldo could raise a gallop.
Manchester United are well and truly engulfed in their annual crisis.
Ralf Rangnick is already becoming the latest manager to carry the can for failings that have been allowed to fester for years.
United were booed off the pitch by those fans who stayed behind to the bitter end.
Jadon Sancho gave them a lead their early dominance deserved.
But Che Adams brought Saints level with a brilliant finish at the start of the second half.
And in the end it was two points dropped for their boss Ralph Hasenhuttl rather than the man who was once his mentor in Leipzig.
“I think our team, with a lot of technical and offensive players, find it difficult to stay compact for the whole game,” said Rangnick.
“That is one of our major problems – and another is we do not take enough of the chances we create.
“We spoke at half-time about what Southampton would do. We showed them two or three video clips to illustrate it.
“But after just two minutes of the second half, exactly the same thing happened that has happened in other games.
“We were in possession in their box – and 10 seconds later conceded a goal.
“The goal we conceded was too easy – like the goal we conceded at Burnley.
“If you are being counter-attacked it’s about tactical discipline and not letting the players get past you.
“I think we have changed in that we are conceding fewer goals than before.
“But it doesn’t help if you don’t score more than one goal. It’s all about being aggressive and taking that last step.”
United, with Paul Pogba at the heart of all their promptings, got on the front foot early.
Ronaldo was denied a goal by Romain Perraud’s clearance and Fraser Forster saved from Sancho.
But the home side were ahead in the 21st
minute when Sancho (right) walked home Marcus Rashford’s far-post cross after Bruno Fernandes had carved Southampton apart.
But Rangnick inherited a team that can’t keep up the pace.
“It isn’t a big secret that when United lose the ball their reverse gear is not very good,” was Hasenhuttl’s damning assessment.
Southampton managed to expose United’s defensive vulnerability even when the home side were in the ascendancy.
Stuart Armstrong’s volley forced David de Gea into a flying save and the United keeper also denied Perraud before the break.
Two minutes after the restart they were level, Adams steering a delicious finish past De Gea’s left hand and in off the inside of the post after being slipped in by Mohamed Elyounoussi after a move that began with Forster. Armstrong fired a decent chance wide and Armando Broja failed to find a finish after making a fool of Harry Maguire for the umpteenth time.
When Broja forced De Gea into action again soon afterwards, Darren Fletcher jumped from the bench to demand more from United’s players.
There isn’t another director of football in the world who w o u l d be seen on the touchline.
A late United rally saw Forster keep out
Maguire’s downward header with a strong arm.
Although the United skipper was also fortunate not to concede a penalty at the other end when he trod clumsily on Broja’s calf.
It was only a year ago that United stuck nine past Southampton and Hasenhuttl left Manchester in tears.
But despite the cap, stubble and Bavarian accent, the Austrian is no poundshop Jurgen Klopp.
“In the last three games we have played Manchester City, Tottenham and United without losing once,” said Hasenhuttl.
“It was a tough first half for us because we had one day less to prepare for this game than United. “But in the second half we found our rhythm. “I think that we dominated them in some moments and could have won the game.”