Manchester United welcomes Southampton to Old Trafford on Sunday in a Premier League matchup as they want to extend their winning streak at the stadium to five games overall.
Team Form
Man United
In a bold move to prove a point, coach Ten Hag decided to field the same 11 players who suffered a crushing 7-0 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield. And it paid off, as Manchester United dominated their Europa League match against Betis, showcasing their prowess in scoring goals at the Theatre of Dreams.
While United’s chances of clinching the Premier League title may be slim to none after their humiliating loss to Liverpool last weekend, they remain in a comfortable position on the league table. With a 14-point gap between themselves and league leaders Arsenal (although they have a game in hand), they are unlikely to be overtaken by crisis club Tottenham Hotspur, who sit four points behind and have played a game more.
Despite the setback in pursuing the Premier League title, their position on the podium is secure for now.
Man United PL Form: W D W W L
Southampton
Managing Southampton has been a rollercoaster ride for Selles, with the team experiencing highs and lows in their performance. Despite their position at 19th place, St Mary’s was optimistic when they faced Leicester in their last game.
Southampton is currently only ahead of Bournemouth on goal difference, but they are just one point away from securing a position in 17th place, with Leeds also within reach. Even West Ham United and Leicester, who are higher up the table, are not safe from the threat of being overtaken by the team shortly.
Southampton has earned 12 out of their 21 points in the current Premier League season while playing away from home. This means they have won more than half of their energies on rival territory, a feat no other league team has accomplished this season.
Southampton PL Form: L L W L W
Squad Report
Man United
Manchester United’s midfielders, Donny van de Beek and Christian Eriksen are still undergoing recovery from their knee and ankle injuries, respectively.
Meanwhile, Anthony Martial has resumed full training after a hip problem but is unlikely to start in the upcoming match.
Coach Ten Hag will also need to assess the fitness of Marcel Sabitzer, who was unavailable for the game against Betis due to a knock.
Southampton
After being withdrawn in the 50th minute due to a knee sprain, Southampton’s Alcaraz was quickly assessed by manager Selles, who downplayed the severity of the injury.
A knee-slide celebration caused the sprain, and fortunately, the 20-year-old is expected to be fit enough to play in the upcoming match.
Alcaraz’s quick recovery would relieve the team as they prepare for the next game, with only Valentino Livramento and Juan Larios being the two injury absentees in the squad.
Manchester United’s predicted starting lineup:
De Gea; Wan-Bissaka, Varane, Martinez, Shaw; Casemiro, Fred; Antony, Fernandes, Rashford; Weghorst
Southampton’s predicted starting lineup:
Bazunu; Maitland-Niles, Bella-Kotchap, Bednarek, Walker-Peters; Ward-Prowse, Lavia; Walcott, Alcaraz, Sulemana; Adams
Head to Head
Manchester United and Southampton have a history of 37 matches against each other. Out of these, Manchester United has won 23 games while Southampton has only won 4. The remaining ten matches ended in a draw.
It’s noteworthy that Manchester United has been unbeaten in their last 14 meetings with Southampton in all competitions. They have won seven matches and drew the other seven out of these.
In contrast, Southampton has only won two of their past 28 matches against United, both at Old Trafford in 2015 and 2016.
Time, Date & Venue
Date: Sunday, March 12
Time: 02:00 pm, UK Time
Venue: Old Trafford, Manchester
Prediction
While Manchester United has had struggles on the road, they have historically been a force to be reckoned with at Old Trafford.
As they prepare to face Southampton in their upcoming match, the Red Devils will look to continue their impressive home form.
