Manchester United hopes to bounce back from a damaging 3-0 defeat against Liverpool when they kick off the weekend’s Premier League action against Southampton at St. Mary’s Stadium on Saturday lunchtime.
Predicted XIs:
Southampton (3-4-3): Ramsdale; Harwood-Bellis, Bednarek, Stephens; Sugawara, Downes, Fernandes, Walker-Peters; Brereton, Armstrong, Archer.
Manchester United (4-2-3-1): Onana; Mazraoui, Maguire, Martinez, Dalot; Ugarte, Mainoo; Garnacho, Fernandes, Rashford; Zirkzee.
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Despite backing manager Erik ten Hag with a new contract and enjoying what appeared to be a very successful summer transfer window, the pressure has been piled back on the Red Devils boss after a sluggish start to the season.
An opening-night win over Fulham was followed by successive defeats against Brighton and Liverpool, leaving the Dutchman as the bookmakers’ favourite to be the first top-flight manager to leave his post.
This game, against a newly promoted Southampton side that has lost all three league assignments so far, could be a turning point for the visitors. A defeat could send them into a downward spiral as we head into autumn, while a victory could boost their confidence enough to get their season up and running.
For the Saints, they will just be hoping to give their fans some hope to cling to for the rest of the season.
They scored their first league goal of the campaign against Brentford last time out, but that was only a 90th-minute consolation strike, and they need a morale boost ahead of a crucial run of fixtures that will see them face Ipswich, Bournemouth and Leicester before the end of October.
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Southampton vs Manchester United Team News
Southampton’s only confirmed absentee is last season’s number-one goalkeeper, Gavin Bazunu, who is sidelined until at least early next year with an Achilles problem. However, summer signing Aaron Ramsdale is likely to lock down the spot between the sticks.
Attacking duo Ross Stewart and Kamaldeen Sulemana are both nearing their returns after missing the start of the season through injuries, but both are expected to be squad players for the Saints after failing to make an impression in their promotion-winning campaign last season.
Manchester United captain and midfielder Bruno Fernandes, who has missed only two games through injury for the Red Devils since joining the club three and a half years ago, is a doubt after picking up a minor injury on international duty.
Aside from that, Ten Hag continues to deal with a lengthy injury list that played its part in derailing the 2023/24 campaign. New arrival Leny Yoro is sidelined, along with fellow defenders Tyrell Malacia, Victor Lindelöf, and the perennially injured Luke Shaw.
Rasmus Højlund is considered a week or two away from a return, with Mason Mount being another absentee. One positive note is that deadline-day signing Manuel Ugarte could be in line to make his first start, likely in place of Casemiro.