3 key takeaways from Manchester United's win against Southampton

On Saturday, Manchester United traveled to the St. Mary's Stadium to play the fourth Premier League game of the ongoing season against Southampton. Heading into the game, United came off two consecutive losses against Brighton away and Liverpool at home. Erik ten Hag and his men somehow needed to win against Southampton if they desired to get the campaign back on track.

In the first 30 minutes, United, in their away kit, kicked the ball from right to left and nothing about their game made it seem like they would end up winning the match. As a matter of fact, it was Southampton dominating the game and creating chances until the half-hour mark. However, in the 35th minute, things changed for United when Matthijs de Ligt slotted a header into the back of the net.

Six minutes later, Marcus Rashford scored a brilliant goal from outside the box which beat Southampton's keeper Aaron Ramsdale and gave the 13-time Premier League champions a 2-0 lead. This second goal by United pretty much sealed the fate of this match as Southampton failed to show the form they did in the first 30 minutes.

The second half between the two teams was mainly a battle that was fought in the middle of the park, and it was the away team that looked better. In what was turning out to be not the most pleasing second half, Alejandro Garnacho scored a goal in stoppage time to add some excitement to the game. This goal by the Argentine ensured United's victory and sealed Southampton's defeat.

Like every football game, this match too had key takeaways that Manchester United must note. In this article, we will look at three such takeaways:

3. Manchester United must be patient and trust Matthijs de Ligt

When rumors of Matthijs de Ligt's moving to Manchester United started doing the rounds, many felt the Dutchman wouldn't succeed at the club. Later, when United lost consecutive games against Brighton and Liverpool, this feeling became a belief. Things got worse when De Ligt played for the Netherlands against Germany earlier this week.

In the international game, he made goal-conceding errors that led to him being subbed at halftime. This performance further raised doubts about him being able to become United's leading man in defense. However, if anything, De Ligt's performance against Southampton is a testament that the player could work wonders for his new club.

Against Southampton, De Ligt didn't only score the first goal but was also solid in defense. The 25-year-old's partnership with Lisandro Martinez prevented Southampton from scoring in the first 30 minutes. To sum up, De Ligt's performance at the St. Mary's Stadium was the perfect answer to his critics, and that's why United need to keep trusting him as they did against Southampton.

2. Manuel Ugarte might be the man for Manchester United

Manchester United's deadline day signing Manuel Ugarte finally made his much-awaited debut for the club against Southampton. The Uruguayan player came in the place of Christian Eriksen in the 73rd minute and impressed upon arrival. Ugarte did everything that was expected from him as he landed successful tackles and moved the ball efficiently when United had possession.

A key highlight of Ugarte's performance against Southampton was his ability to regain possession not once but on three occasions. He was also involved in Alejandro Garnacho's goal as he was the man who passed the ball to Casemiro, who further dished out a brilliant assist to the Argentine. In short, Ugarte's performance would make one feel he is the man United were looking for.

1. Erik ten Hag can't be too happy

Winning after two consecutive losses is relieving, but can Erik ten Hag be too happy? The answer to this question might be a no because Manchester United was struggling in the first 30 minutes of the game. Southampton came close to scoring on many occasions, and on one such occasion, the team even got a penalty when Diego Dalot brought down Tyler Dibbling in the United box.

However, Cameron Archer's penalty and rebound were saved by Andre Onana. But the question here is, had Southampton scored, would Manchester United be able to pull off the victory they did? While that's a question that can't be answered, Ten Hag will have to address his side's shaky start or else it might become a problem in the club's future games against Barnsley and Crystal Palace.