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Manchester United were held to a 1-1 draw by Southampton at the St. Mary's Stadium on Matchday two of the Premier League 2021/22 season. Mason Greenwood cancelled out a first-half own goal from Fred in the 55th minute with a confident finish beyond Alex McCarthy.
The Red Devils started the match brightly and pushed the Saints on the back foot. But the home team soon clawed their way back into the game, and even took a shock lead.
Jack Stephens robbed possession off Bruno Fernandes and squared the ball to Che Adams, whose rasping effort took a deflection off Fred before crashing into the bottom corner.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's men, despite their best efforts to respond, went into the break with a deficit, although some fine work from Paul Pogba allowed Greenwood to slot home the equaliser shortly after the break.
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The visitors were on the front foot thereafter, but couldn't find the elusive winner, with David De Gea also producing some crucial saves at the other end to keep the game in the balance till the end.
Yet the Red Devils won't be too proud of their performance, given the spectacular start they made to their campaign last weekend. On that note, here are the player ratings for Manchester United:
David de Gea - 7.5/10
He should've done better for Southampton's goal, but De Gea redeemed himself with a key save to deny Adam Armstrong in the 74th minute, and then punched James Ward-Prowse's free-kick clear.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka - 7/10
His attacking involvement was minimal, but Wan-Bissaka looked to make up for that with a stoic defensive resolve, hounding the Saints into giving up possession and also timing his tackles (5) to perfection. He laid out two key passes too.
Victor Lindelof - 6.5/10
He used his physical strength to cope with Southampton's advances in the first half, but looked more settled after the break when the pace of the match ramped down. The Swede's aerial prowess was there for all to see, as he won three of five duels, and made two clearances too.
Harry Maguire - 7/10
The Manchester United captain was given a torrid time on several occasions, but he stood his ground firmly, making three clearances and as many tackles. He attempted to instigate attacks from the back with long balls, although he lacked accuracy.
Luke Shaw - 7.5/10
His set-piece deliveries were top notch, and he created a few good chances in the game too, particularly for Sancho late on with a superb cross.
Fred - 5/10
Arguably the poorest Manchester United player on the day. Fred put the ball into his own net in the first half, while his passes were wayward too. His impact at either end of the pitch was minimal.
Nemanja Matic - 6/10
The Serbian international's work ethic was unquestionable, but his overall impact was minimal. He struggled to cope with Southampton's pace in the opening half,f and misplaced a lot of passes too. Manchester United fans will be demanding more from him.
Mason Greenwood - 7/10
Greenwood salvaged a disappointing first-half performance with an equalising goal, which helped Manchester United secure a point. He had another good chance a while later, but could only arrow his header over the roof of the net.
Bruno Fernandes - 6/10
Considering how Fernandes started the season last weekend - netting a hat-trick against Leeds - he did not fare as well on the night. The Portuguese talisman was dispossessed in the build-up to Southampton's goal, and later went into the books for remonstrating with the referee.
Paul Pogba - 7/10
Manchester United's creator-in-chief, too, was subdued compared to his performances on the opening weekend, but he always looked to make things happen. Pogba laid six accurate long balls in the game, and one key pass too, which culminated in Greenwood's goal.
Anthony Martial - 5/10
Manchester United's striker on the day, Martial had a stinker upfront. He offered no attacking threat going forward, mustering just one shot in almost 60 minutes of action, while he was also subdued by Southampton's aggressive defenders when he drifted wide. Solksjaer may not start him again for a while.
Ratings of Manchester United substitutes
Scott McTominay - 6/10
With Manchester United needing a goal, Solkskjaer brought on McTominay instead of the more attack-minded Donny van de Beek. But the move failed to yield any dividends.
Jadon Sancho - 6.5/10
The new Manchester United recruit chipped Shaw's cross into the path of Greenwood, but the youngster ended up heading his effort over the bar.
Jesse Lingard - N/A
The out-of-favour Manchester United star came on late to merely see the game off.
