Erik ten Hag believes Manchester United have discovered the teachings of their dismal begin to the season as Bruno Fernandes clinched a hard-fought 1-0 win at Southampton on Saturday. Ten Hag’s facet sat backside of the Premier League after dropping their opening two video games in opposition to Brighton and Brentford. However United have recovered from that embarrassing begin to safe successive league victories for the primary time since February.
Fernandes netted with a composed strike early within the second half and the Portugal midfielder’s first objective this season lifted United into sixth place forward of the remainder of the weekend’s matches.
“I feel the gamers learnt some classes from Brentford. We had been extra compact on the lengthy balls. In fact we had been actually comfortable,” Ten Hag mentioned.
Ten Hag named the identical beginning line-up that defeated Liverpool 2-1 on Monday, which means unsettled star Cristiano Ronaldo and membership captain Harry Maguire had been each on the bench.
Ronaldo, eager to depart Previous Trafford earlier than the switch window closes on September 1, was largely nameless when he got here on for the final 20 minutes.
Casemiro helped United shut out the win because the Brazil midfielder made his debut in a 10-minute substitute look following his transfer from Actual Madrid.
United had been a way wanting the depth and high quality that impressed their win in opposition to Liverpool.
However they confirmed the grit so badly missing within the first two video games as they stored Southampton at bay after Fernandes’ objective.
Ten Hag shall be happy that Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez stood agency at centre-back, rewarding his resolution to maintain Maguire on the sidelines.
“Firstly of the sport we might have created extra however I used to be happy. It’s the begin of the season, it’s powerful. You must battle and we did that at the moment so we had been rewarded,” Ten Hag mentioned.
“It was a unbelievable end. I’m actually comfortable for Bruno. We are able to enhance that’s clear. I nonetheless really feel there’s room for enchancment, to regulate extra, however we aren’t that distant.”
Scientific Fernandes
It took an unbelievable mixture of very good goalkeeping and last-ditch defending to cease United taking the lead halfway by the first-half.
When Southampton did not clear a cross, Gavin Bazunu needed to scramble to dam Anthony Elanga’s shot on the far put up.
Within the ensuing melee, Christian Eriksen appeared sure to attain however Kyle Walker-Peters blocked his shot on the road earlier than Fernandes noticed his goalbound strike repelled by Armel Bella-Kotchap.
Bella-Kotchap ought to have made United pay for these misses when a nook fell to the Saints defender, however he by some means contrived to shoot excessive into the stands from close-range.
Che Adams could not generate sufficient energy to beat David De Gea after making a perfectly-timed run behind the flat-footed United defence.
Scott McTominay’s drive examined Bazunu early within the second half, whereas Bella-Kotchap made an outstanding sort out to cease Elanga as he ready to shoot after bursting by on objective.
Though United had been by no means dominant, they conjured a formidable transfer to interrupt the impasse within the fifty fifth minute.
A flurry of passes scythed by the Southampton midfield and Diogo Dalot curled a cross in direction of Fernandes, who guided a fantastic volley previous Bazunu from simply inside the world.
Southampton pushed for an equaliser however they had been pissed off when a robust penalty attraction was rejected by VAR after McTominay dealt with as he challenged Adams for a excessive ball.
Promoted
De Gea preserved United’s slender lead with a reflex save from Joe Aribo’s close-range header, with Walker-Peters nodding the rebound over.
Bella-Kotchap blazed over and Sekou Mara shot vast as Southampton wasted their probability to disclaim United victory.
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