Manchester United dropped issues in the Premier League for the moment week working after being held at house to relegation strugglers Southampton on Sunday afternoon, with Erik ten Hag‘s facet left to rue an early crimson card for influential midfielder, Casemiro.
Just a couple of weeks on from having been pushed aside in the slim win over Crystal Palace at Old Trafford, the skilled Brazilian used to be once more proven his marching orders following a lunging take on on Carlos Alcaraz, with the former Real Madrid guy catching the teenager on the apply via regardless of first of all making touch with the ball.
That dismissal – which is able to now see the 31-year-old face a four-game ban – in the long run left United having to hold on for just about 60 mins, with the hosts suffering to create an excessive amount of in an attacking sense from then on.
While Portuguese playmaker Bruno Fernandes did see a overdue effort expertly stored via Gavin Bazunu, it used to be the guests who unsurprisingly gave the impression the extra threatening in the ultimate 3rd, with relentless full-back Kyle Walker-Peters significantly hanging the post with a fierce, pushed effort.
Despite their guy benefit, alternatively, the Saints had been not able to wreck the impasse as Ten Hag’s males stubbornly clung on for some extent, with long-serving stalwart David De Gea generating an outstanding show in the sticks as a way to stay the guests at bay.
The former Spain global significantly stored out Theo Walcott’s close-range header early in the first part, sooner than once more denying the former Arsenal guy after the damage with any other essential save, with this type of efficiency unsurprisingly incomes De Gea a 7.9 fit score, as according to Sofascore – the second-best of any United participant on the day.
The one-time Atletico Madrid ace used to be no longer the best determine to have stolen the display in that dogged and gritty show from the Red Devils, alternatively, with summer season signing Lisandro Martinez having arguably been “Manchester United’s best player” at the Theatre of Dreams, consistent with The Athletic’s Carl Anka.
How did Martinez carry out in opposition to Southampton?
Much like the World Cup winner has been during the marketing campaign, Martinez equipped a in point of fact calm and composed presence at the center of the backline as soon as once more, having reputedly ‘improved‘ even if United had been down to 10 males, as according to Manchester Evening News journalist, Samuel Luckhurst.
Previously described as like a “nightclub bouncer” via one supply because of his choice to stay the ones no longer in a crimson jersey outdoor of the 18-yard field, the 25-year-old once more gave the impression intent to stay a blank sheet the day gone by, having significantly gained three of his 4 duels and made 5 clearances in general.
The former Ajax sensation used to be additionally as soon as once more slightly fearless in ownership as he often carried the ball out from the again, finishing 44 of his 50 passes on the day, having additionally misplaced ownership simply six instances as a marker of his ball-playing prowess.
That dominant show – which earned the 5 foot 10 brute a cast 7.2 fit score, as according to Sofascore – proved simply why Martinez is solely a “wonderful footballer“, as according to broadcaster Sam Homewood, with Ten Hag’s £56.7m funding having begun to appear to be one thing of a cut price.
For all the unhappiness of lacking out on 3 issues with the top-four combat now hotting up, the Red Devils can take center from the proven fact that they didn’t merely collapse regardless of Casemiro being despatched for an early bathtub, with Martinez and De Gea, specifically, having been integral to that resilient time out.