Late leveller is Champions League blow for United

Manchester United’s Champions League chase stalled as Michael Obafemi struck in stoppage time to earn dogged Southampton a deserved draw at an empty Old Trafford.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport’s decision to lift Manchester City’s two-season European ban meant a fifthplaced Premier League finish would not be enough to seal a return to the continent’s top table.

United had looked set to move up to third after Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial turned things around following Scotland midfielder Stuart Armstrong’s early opener for Saints.

However, substitute Obafemi directed home from almost on the goal-line right at the death to seal a 2-2 draw for Ralph Hasenhuttl’s men.

His opposite number Ole Gunnar Solskjaer saw his side remain fifth after blowing the chance to move ahead of Chelsea and Leicester.

Afterwards, the frustration was clear on the face of the Norwegian and his players.

Hasenhuttl’s team fully deserved their share of the spoils, though.

Their relentless pressure forced Paul Pogba into an early error which Armstrong capitalised on.

But United produced a response that the watching Sir Alex Ferguson would have been proud of, with Rashford equalising in the 20th minute and Martial turning things around with a superb strike three minutes later.

Southampton midfielder Oriol Romeu was fortunate to avoid punishment for a foul on Mason Greenwood in a first half that made way for cagey second period, with David De Gea producing a superb stop to deny Nathan Redmond late on.

United looked set to hold on, only for Obafemi to get to a corner before Victor Lindelof to snatch a late point for Saints.