Manchester United have the perfect chance to build on their recent encouraging performances when Southampton visit Old Trafford tonight.
A 2-2 Premier League draw at Liverpool was followed by a penalty shoot-out win at Arsenal in the FA Cup last weekend, despite playing with 10 men from the 61st minute onwards following the dismissal of wing-back Diogo Dalot.
Head coach Ruben Amorim now wants to see that same fight and spirit in every game, with their next seven fixtures, against Saints, Brighton, Fulham, Crystal Palace, Tottenham, Everton and Ipswich, seemingly providing an opportunity for United to get their season back on track.
Writing in tonight’s match programme, the Portuguese said: “In the past month, we have been to the Etihad Stadium, Anfield and the Emirates Stadium – three of the toughest places to play in the country – and taken positive outcomes from each one. To do that requires quality and character but the job now is to show that in every single game, regardless of the opposition.”
The challenge for Southampton is to simply pick up points, irrespective of the opposition.
Having come up from the Championship last season, they have managed just one win and three draws from 20 games. An instant return to the second tier appears inevitable.
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Manchester United Team News
Amorim made three changes to the side that performed so well at the Emirates.
Dalot is suspended with Amad Diallo likely to play at right wing-back with Noussair Mazraoui switching to the left flank.
Leny Yoro is preferred to Harry Maguire while Andre Onana returns in goal in place of cup hero Altay Bayındır.
There was no place again for Marcus Rashford in the match day squad.
Manchester United: Onana; Yoro, De Ligt, Martínez; Amad, Ugarte, Mainoo, Mazraoui; Garnacho, Fernandes, Hojlund
Here are your Red Devils to face the Saints 👊#MUFC || #MUNSOU
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) January 16, 2025
Southampton Team News
Saints boss Ivan Juric made just one change to the team that beat Swansea City 3-0 in the FA Cup last weekend.
That saw Japan full-back Yukinari Sugawara come in for Ryan Manning.
Southampton: Ramsdale; Walker-Peters, Sugawara, Bednarek, Harwood-Bellis, Bree; Ugochukwu, Aribo; Fernandes, Kamaldeen, Dibling
Your YELLOWS 💛 pic.twitter.com/yqR4gSipTj
— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) January 16, 2025
