SAINTS SHOCK
Man Utd 2 Southampton 2: Obafemi stuns Old Trafford with last-gasp equaliser as Red Devils blow chance to go third
IN the top four and back out again.
Manchester United’s place in those Champions League spots was snatched away deep in injury-time.
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In fact it was the 97th minute when James Ward-Prowse’s corner was flicked on by Jan Bednarek and Michael Obafemi poked home from close range.
He had only come on ten minutes earlier.
How costly his intervention could be to United with three games to go.
As manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer predicted it could indeed all come down to their final game of the season away to Leicester.
But if they do just miss out this moment will haunt them.
They could have had this won convincingly.
It is still 18 matches unbeaten now but they needed the three points to take advantage of Chelsea and Leicester slipping up.
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For the first time in a while this team lost its concentration and all the early work was undone.
Southampton looked up for this from the pre-match huddle to the shock lead they took on 12 minutes but United did respond in fine style.
Paul Pogba was the United player at fault for that early goal as he dozed in possession and lost the ball to Danny Ings.
The Saints striker smartly moved the ball on to Nathan Redmond and his cross found the unmarked Stuart Armstrong.
His first touch was superb the finish unstoppable as he hammered a shot past David De Gea.
It was the wakeup call United needed, after an unusually sluggish start ,and quickly they were back to looking very much like the side who had entered this game on such an impressive run.
Marcus Rashford had the ball in the back of the net on 16 minutes after being found by a Luke Shaw cross on the break.
He had started his run too early, however, and was caught just offside.
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There was no doubt about his strike in the 22nd minute, however.
Crossing from the right, Paul Pogba, found Anthony Martial in the centre of the Southampton box.
His assist was something special as he fell to the ground surrounded by three opponents but still managed to ease the ball on to strike partner Rashford to fire home.
Martial had missed an early chance to put United ahead after Ward-Prowse lost possession and allowed him a free run at goal.
Alex McCarthy came out and blocked his shot with an outstretched left hand.
That might explain his look of defiance when he did get on the score sheet as he made up for that miss and chalked up his 50th Premier League goal just three minutes after Rashford’s strike.
Pogba was again involved finding Bruno Fernandes who passed the ball on to Martial.
Head down the Frenchman powered inside Kyle Walker-Peters and smashed a shot into the roof of the net.
There was a time not so long ago that a setback like that one early on would lead to stress, mistakes, a collective lack of belief.
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The anxiety in the stands would transmit itself to the players.
Well there are no fans here right now to do that but the team had long since got the faithful onside even before lockdown.
Which made it all the more galling for those watching at home to see their side collectively panic late on.
There was a feeling that the club as on its way back.
A feeling based on a strong defence and a spectacular attack part of which is teenager Mason Greenwood.
Although we might not have been seeing him for months to come thanks to Oriol Romeu.
His late stamp on the 18-year-old could have broken his ankle it was disgraceful, a red card offence which he somehow escaped despite VAR.
Greenwood continued on and so did United and they should really have scored more.
Their best chance of the second-half came when Rashford and Martial combined.
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This pair can suddenly bring a game roaring to life with a quick turn and burst of pace.
They have an understanding that Dwight Yorke recently likened to that which he had with Andy Cole.
So when Rashford found Martial the Frenchman didn’t need to look to know he would be on the end of his return.
Quite how Rashford then missed from four yards out was difficult to explain as he fired a shot the wrong side of the near post.
Martial’s superb late run deserved better than his finish that was well wide.
But there was still warning signs.
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Five minutes from time De Gea on his 400th appearance for the club was forced into a fine save with an outstretched hand to deny Nathan Redmond.
Then came that moment.
So many times it is United who have struck in injury time.
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Solskjaer most famously of all in the 1999 Champions League Final.
This time it was his turn to suffer the pain of a last gasp piece of drama.
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