AMADENNING PERFORMANCE
Man Utd 3 Southampton 1: Amorim’s awful side saved by 12 minute Amad hat-trick as Ratcliffe watches shocking display
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MANCHESTER UNITED were facing the embarrassment of losing four straight home games in the top flight for the first time in almost a century.
And this would have been the lowest of all — against a Southampton team with the worst record at this stage of the season in Prem history.
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Manuel Ugarte’s first-half own goal had left Ruben Amorim starting at yet another disastrous defeat in what has been an awful season.
But Amad — who has scored huge goals at both Manchester City and Liverpool in recent weeks — grabbed an incredible 12-minute hat-trick to spare United’s blushes.
The first came eight minutes from time. And then as the clock ticked round to 90, the Ivorian latched on to a clever pass from sub Christian Eriksen to volley his team ahead.
There was still time for him to pounce on a defensive mix-up to complete his hat-trick in injury time.
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Amad signed a new £90,000-per-week deal earlier this month — and he pretty much repaid it all in those minutes.
Amorim had said he would learn more about his team in this game than he did in the draws at Liverpool and Arsenal — but what did this tell him exactly?
United’s last home game here included a shambolic first half against Newcastle in the final days of 2024.
That meant they had lost three straight home games in the league for the first time in 45 years.
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But since then they have turned in encouraging displays at the Emirates and Anfield to at least give their fans some cause for optimism.
Yet they still started the night 15th in the table — and new boss Amorim had won just two of his first nine league matches in charge.
And they started like it, too, against a team who are rock bottom and, statistically, have the worst record after 20 games of a season in Premier League history with just six points.
What’s more, they had only scored 12 goals before this game in what has been a bleak campaign for everyone at St Mary’s.
Yet, amazingly, it was Saints who looked more confident early on — despite losing all three of their Prem matches since Ivan Juric took charge just before Christmas.
Ghanaian forward Kamaldeen Sulemana wriggled into the box and fired a low shot that was pushed away by Andre Onana.
Then Mateus Fernandes was allowed to carry the ball forward but his low shot lacked conviction and was never going to trouble the United keeper.
While United had been second best, they should have gone ahead midway through the first half as Rasmus Hojlund got away down the left.
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He unselfishly squared for Alejandro Garnacho who looked a certain scorer but somehow slid his shot wide of the post.
Amorim had his head in his hands in his technical area and no wonder – it was a golden opportunity.
Then again, the one that came Southampton’s way soon afterwards was just as good.
Tyler Dibling weaved his way through before bringing a smart save out of Onana but the rebound fell perfectly for Fernandes.
The Portuguese midfielder had almost the whole goal to aim at but Onana was able to stick out a long arm and keep his effort out.
Some felt the Cameroon was lucky to keep his place after the heroics of his understudy Altay Bayindir in the FA Cup win at the Emirates – but he proved his manager right with that double save.
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It was 1930 last time the Red Devils lost four straight league games at home – and just before half-time they were staring it straight in the face.
A corner on the left from Fernandes was flicked on by Dibling and cannoned off the back of Manuel Ugarte – and this time Onana couldn’t keep it out.
United have conceded 10 goals from corners now in the league this season – opponents clearly know it is a weakness.
Onana prevented it from getting worse moments later when he acrobatically pushed away a thumping drive from Dibling.
It is 17 long matches since Saints last won on their travels in the Prem – but their fans were dreaming at the break.
Amorim looked furious as he made his way off at the break and he had made three changes within the first eight minutes of the second half.
One of them was Antony – who is likely to leave on loan this month – and he saw a shot deflected over within minutes of his introduction.
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At the other end, the lively Sulemana saw a shot blocked in the box by Matthijs De Ligt – whose arm was certainly outstretched - but replays showed it hit his shoulder
Sulemana was giving United’s £52million defender Leny Yoro a torrid night and after beating him again he slid another shot wide of the far post.
Yet United should have been level on the hour as Garnacho’s low cross found Antony sliding in at the back post – but he could only direct his effort into the grateful gloves of Aaron Ramsdale.
It pretty much sums up the £85 million man’s stay at Old Trafford.
Garnacho forced a flying save out of Ramsdale as United – finally – started to put the visiting defence under some pressure.
And the England keeper saved again from Bruno Fernandes who saw a rebound hooked away.
But on 82 minutes they got the leveller as Joshua Zirkzee fed Amad – and while his cross was blocked it fell nicely for him to thump a low shot past Ramsdale.
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Just as the clock ticked round to 90, Eriksen’s delicious pass was right into the path of the Ivorian who slotted past the visiting keeper.
And then he took advantage of a Taylor Harwood-Bellis’ shocking touch to roll into an empty net and claim the match ball.
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