Manchester United player ratings vs Southampton: Scott McTominay thrives under Casemiro pressure, Varane key

M

anchester United beat Southampton 1-0 on Saturday to bag a second victory in a row.

Bruno Fernandes hit the winner in the second half before Casemiro made his debut as the visitors held on for all three points, after Scott McTominay put in a strong performance from the starting line-up.

A key clean sheet was marshalled by Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez while Cristiano Ronaldo’s late appearance may prove his last for the club.

Here is how we rated the Manchester United players at St Mary’s…

David De Gea – 6

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Visible attempts to calm the play down after collecting the ball, perhaps nervous of making more mistakes in his distribution. Valubale clean sheet featuring a decent save, although Saints were guilty of firing off-target from their best positions.

Diogo Dalot – 6

Targeted at crosses as weak in the air and booked for a cynical foul on Moussa Djenepo after being left for dead by the winger. Better in attack with a pinpoint cross finding Fernandes for the opener.

Raphael Varane – 7

Calm and unspectacular, the Frenchman is not one to catch the eye with moments of daring-do but marshalled a clean sheet nicely.

Lisandro Martinez – 7

A bit of a partnership forming with Varane, Martinez the bolshier, occasionally more haphazard centre-back who threw himself into everything.

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Tyrell Malacia – 6

Good in the tackle but a touch naive on the ball, a couple of wayward moments in his own half going unpunished showing his rawness at this level.

Christian Eriksen – 6

Often looked the most likely to produce a defence-splitting pass even if his playmaking efforts declined as the game went on. Put in decent yards off the ball in his defensive duties.

Scott McTominay – 8

With Casemiro watching on from the bench, the pressure was on the Scot to show his presence in midfield. Ventured forward for an effort saved in second half and won the ball to start the long move for the opening goal. A bit of a cliche but, if Casemiro had put together this performance, United fans would have been very happy indeed.

Anthony Elanga – 6

Only really playing because of Anthony Martial’s injury but justified his place, a fine run at goal in the 51st minute only ended by a vital sliding tackle. Had a small role in the goal, too.

Bruno Fernandes – 7

Relatively quiet until he produced a classic attacking midfielder’s goal, arriving late in the box to swoop Dalot’s cross home with aplomb.

Jadon Sancho – 4

After his fine goal sparked the win over Liverpool, some hoped Sancho would kick on with another convincing display against Southampton but this was more of what fans have long come to expect of the winger – notably, a serious lack of end product.

Marcus Rashford – 5

Lacked the presence of a central striker and very much looked like a player re-learning a role he has moved away from in recent years.

Substitutes

Cristano Ronaldo (Sancho, 68’) – 5

Not particularly effective on the counter or in holding up the play as Southampton pressed for a leveller.

Casemiro (Elanga, 79’) – 6

On for a late debut and duly got stuck in with total commitment.

Fred (Eriksen, 90’) – N/A