Soccer

Southampton stunned after Amad Diallo’s late hat-trick rescues United

United enjoyed victory in regulation time for the first occasion since December 15th

Amad Diallo celebrates scoring Manchester United's first goal against Southampton. Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA
Amad Diallo celebrates scoring Manchester United's first goal against Southampton. Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA
Jamie Jackson
Thu Jan 16 2025 - 22:23
Premier League: Manchester United 3 (Diallo 82, 90, 90+4) Southampton 1 (Ugarte 43 OG)

Panicky, amateurish and dicing with defeat against Southampton, who are bottom and had failed to win away in the Premier League: Manchester United flirted with the red-faced embarrassment of suffering a reverse of which they would long be reminded.

But, enter Amad Diallo whose hat-trick goal came in added time – into an open goal – his second on the stroke of full-time – a supreme finish of Christian Eriksen’s chipped ball – and followed the winger’s equaliser minutes before: all due to a refusal to lose.

Ruben Amorim stated he would learn more tonight about his players than from Sunday’s FA Cup penalty shoot-out win at Arsenal or the previous 2-2 draw at Liverpool: he certainly did after a display so concerning it was surreal.

But, at the final whistle, United’s sequence of not losing to Southampton stretched to 17 matches due to the pell-mell nature of a late show that should not have been required against Ivan Juric’s side, who arrived with a point from his four games in charge.

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This was a contest Amorim dare not lose. He did not, winning instead, as United enjoyed victory in regulation time for the first occasion since December 15th – the 2-1 derby win at Manchester City.

Amorim spoke of wanting United to control the ball and occupy the opponents’ final third far more than they do. Here he wishes to reverse the pattern of every post-Alex Ferguson incarnation and Southampton dominated the ball and the opening half.

Manchester United's Amad Diallo kisses the match ball after scoring a hat-trick. Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA
Manchester United's Amad Diallo kisses the match ball after scoring a hat-trick. Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA

After 11 minutes Kamaldeen Sulemana swooped in from the left past Leny Yoro and let fly, André Onana diving low to save. More Saints keep-ball ensued. Juric’s men coasted as if a top-10 unit rather than one that arrived with a -32 goal difference.

The ball was stroked from Taylor Harwood-Bellis to Joe Aribo, Lesley Ugochukwu, James Bree, Tyler Dibling and back to Bree, in a move that preceded Mateus Fernandes driving through and again testing Onana.

On the sideline Amorim despaired. Once more his team were living off scraps, seeking to damage Southampton via the counterpunch. This was how they should have scored: Rasmus Højlund broke down the left, moved into the visitors’ area and teed up Alejandro Garnacho, but he slashed wide. A golden opening for the player making a first league start since December 7th and who could depart this month.

Moments later, Ugochukwu survived a handball shout in his area – John Brooks waving this away – and Saints defended the corner the referee awarded instead.

These were odd moments, while Amorim yearns for control. Those in yellow had this and only an Onana double-save prevented Juric’s side taking the lead.

Yet again United parted as Dibling zipped in along an inside-right channel and unloaded: United’s No 1 went down to save, then bounced up to repel Fernandes’s follow-up.

More followed: Yoro, again, was slipped by Sulemana, the forward burst through and ran across the edge of the area before missing with an attempt that had Juric comically raging away down the touchline.

Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim during the game at Old Trafford. Photograph: Oli Scarff/AFP via Getty Images
Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim during the game at Old Trafford. Photograph: Oli Scarff/AFP via Getty Images

Too many times “oohs” from the home support signalled United’s latest error and, now, silence ensued as Southampton scored. Fernandes swung a corner in from the left, Dibling flicked on and the ball ricocheted off Manuel Ugarte who was as hapless as the flailing – and ineffective – Onana.

“We’re winning away, you must be shit” sang a jubilant away section. When the half-time whistle sounded United were jeered off, the deficit nearly having become 2-0 but for Onana’s save of the excellent Dibling’s long-range attempt.

Kobbie Mainoo was the fall-guy, at the break, replaced by Antony. There was a near-instant dividend when Fernandes ran on to Ugarte’s pass along the left and flipped the ball to the Brazilian but his shot was deflected over.

Then came more chaos in United’s backline. Sulemana bullied Diallo, passed to Kyle Walker-Peters, he skated in and a corner was the result. Soon after, Sulemana once more shrugged off Yoro, advanced into United’s area, and his effort hit Matthijs de Ligt behind the latter’s shoulder and no handball was Brook’s correct ruling.

Already, Amorim was disgusted, taking off Højlund and Ugarte for Joshua Zirkzee and Toby Collyer. This was on 53 minutes and showed the head coach in desperation mode. His team were, to understate, poor. When Garnacho’s sprint down the left ended in a weighted pass to Antony there was a gaping goal to find but instead he scuffed an unwitting back-pass to Aaron Ramsdale, a virtual spectator in Southampton’s goal, who collected gratefully.

How Amorim wished his side had the composure of Southampton. Two more illustrations of the lack of poise came when Zirkzee dawdled near Saints’ goal and Garnacho unloaded straight at Ramsdale.

This was before Diallo’s intervention: the one United footballer who is up to it, currently. – Guardian