NFL
By: Ty Reeves
Manchester United thumped Southampton in a 9-0 win away from home which now puts the Red Devils tied for the top spot with Manchester City.
The game could not have started off any worse for Southampton as midfielder Alex Jankewitz was shown a straight red card in the first 90 seconds of the game for his foul on United midfielder Scott McTominay.
Alex Jankewitz is shown a straight red card after his challenge on McTominay. pic.twitter.com/wcLaKI1bzF
— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) February 2, 2021
From there, the flood gates would open for Southampton. In the 18th minute, United defender Luke Shaw would whip a cross into the box. The ball would be met by defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka who would put the ball in the back of the net to give United the 1-0 lead.
The Red Devils would score their second goal in the 25th minute when winger Mason Greenwood picked out an open Marcus Rashford who fired the ball into the back of the net.
Things would only get worse for Southampton when they conceded an own goal in the 34th minute off a Rashford cross. Five minutes later Luke Shaw would chip the ball into the box yet again and striker Edinson Cavani would head the ball home to give United a 4-0 lead going into halftime.
After a stagnant start to the second half, United would pick up where they left off. Midfielder Bruno Fernandes played striker Anthony Martial in behind the defense, where the Frenchman would score to give United a 5-0 lead in the 69th minute. Less than 90 seconds later a rebound would make way to McTominay at the top of the box. The midfielder would strike the ball first time and it found its way into the bottom right corner of the net to grow United’s lead to 6-0.
As if things couldn’t get worse for Southampton, after a VAR check in the 86th minute, Defender Jan Bednark was sent off, forcing the Saints to play with 9 men. Following the red, Fernandes would step up and slot away the penalty conceded by Bednark to extend the lead to 7-0. Martial would double his tally in the 90th minute when the ball fell to him kindly in the box off of a Wan-Bissaka cross. The striker made no mistake about it and put the ball into the back of the net to bring the game to 8-0.
Then in the final minutes of stoppage time, United would once again put the ball into the Southampton box. Fernandes would then head the ball back across the 6-yard-box to a wide-open Daniel James who would put away the goal to finish the game at 9-0. The win for United puts them as the only team to score nine goals twice in a match while Southampton is the first team to lose 9-0 in consecutive seasons. The Saints fall to 12th in the table after the horrendous loss.
Manchester United put NINE goals past Southampton. ?
What was your favorite goal? pic.twitter.com/pnq2YPPrkG
— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) February 2, 2021
