Manchester United vs Southampton – 5 Things We Learnt

If you missed this match, you missed history in the making. Manchester United ran riot at Old Trafford on 2nd February 2020 with a massive 9-0 over Saints and wrote their names in the record books again!

Here are the 5 talking points form the match.


Manchester United on Cloud Nine

There was no stopping United. 4 first-half goals followed by 5 second-half goals was what was needed to boost their home form. And send a message to the rest of the league.

The Saints were down to 10-men in the opening 90 seconds of the match and they never recovered. They finished the game with 9 players and United with 9 goals.

Let’s look at the timeline of goals:

  • 18′: 1-0 Wan-Bissaka
  • 25′: 2-0 Rashford
  • 34′: 3-0 Bednarek (Own Goal)
  • 39′: 4-0 Cavani
  • 69′: 5-0 Martial
  • 71′: 6-0 McTominay
  • 87′: 7-0 Fernandes (PEN)
  • 90′: 8-0 Martial
  • 90+3′: 9-0 James

Shaw & Cavani – Take a Bow!

Okay, one thing is for certain, Luke Shaw is in the form of his life. He only played the first half during the demolition of Southampton and made his mark.

To compare: The only defender to create more big chances in the Premier League this season than Luke Shaw [7] is Andy Robertson, who has played 3 more games, with 8.

Luke Shaw’s first-half vs. Southampton by numbers:

  • 100% tackles won 
  • 92% pass accuracy 
  • 17 final third passes 
  • 7 ball recoveries 
  • 5 chances created 
  • 2 big chances created 
  • 2 assists 

Oh my Cavani! What a signing he has been for Manchester United.

He once again proved why our veteran striker is a class apart. His movement off the ball and the link-up play was simply put – Magnificent!

He was a real nuisance for Saint’s defense throughout the first-half and deservedly scored a goal through a great header in the 39th minute. He was substituted at half-time due to the fact that he was injured when he was brought down on the edge of the area by Southampton’s Kayne Ramsay but should be fit for the next match.

A perfect role model for our young strikers at the club.


A  Maiden Premier League start to Forget!

Less than two minutes into the match, 19-year-old Alexandre Jankewitz, making his first premier league start, had a moment of madness.

He went studs-first into Scott McTominay. It was high, it was very dangerous, and honestly, McTominay was fortunate to come out almost unscathed apart from stud marks on the inside of his thigh. Referee Mike Dean had no option but to give a straight Red.

Even though Jankewitz wouldn’t want to look back at this memory with fondness but I sure hope he learns from it.


A Game of numbers & records by Manchester United

Numbers, Numbers, and Numbers! Let’s look at some stats & records from the match.

  • Rashford scored his 83rd goal for the Reds – one more than Eric Cantona and put him 25th on our all-time list of top goal-scorers.
  • This was Manchester United’s biggest win in 26 years.
  • Manchester United equal the record for most different goal-scorers 7️⃣ in a single Premier League match (excluding own goals). Chelsea also had 7️⃣ in an 8-0 home win against Aston Villa on 23 December 2012.
  • Ralph Hassenhuttl becomes the only Premier League manager in history to lose 9-0 twice. 
  • Across Europe’s top five leagues this season, only Inter [49], PSG [50] & Bayern Munich [57] have scored more goals than Manchester United [46].
  • Bruno Fernandes in the Premier League:
    • 36 appearances 
    • 20 goals
    • 16 assists
  • United set a Premier League record in 2020/21 for the most successful passes in the final third (266). Southampton managed just nine, which is a landmark low this season.
  • Biggest Premier League wins ever:
    • 1995: Manchester United 9-0 Ipswich Town
    • 2019: Southampton 0-9 Leicester City
    • 2021: Manchester United 9-0 Southampton
  • Most goals in the Premier League this season…
    • Man Utd: 46
    • Liverpool: 43
    • Man City: 37
    • Leicester: 37
    • Leeds: 35 
  • Check out the United player ratings here

The Teacher and the Apprentice

Let’s start with a fact –

  • Only two managers in Premier League history have won 9-0 at home.
    • The first: Sir Alex Ferguson.
    • The second: Ole Gunnar Solskjær.

Not bad for a PE teacher, eh?

Another fact –

  • Manchester United scored 5+ goals twice under David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, and José Mourinho. Under Solskjær it has now happened EIGHT times.

Ole is definitely making an impact, a positive one. It’s time to bring back – Ole Ole Ole!


Author: PM