Marcus Rashford Scores for the First Time Since March as Manchester United Return to Winning Ways

Manchester United haven’t had the best of starts to the 2024/25 Premier League season. However, a professional win over newly promoted Southampton has brought a semblance of normality for the Red Devils.

Going into Gameweek 4, Manchester United had won just one of their opening three Premier League fixtures. Murmurs of Erik Ten Hag being sacked were awash, but a clinical 3-0 performance against Southampton has given Ten Hag some breathing space. However, it looked like the Saints would cause a massive upset, as they dominated the early proceedings. They were even awarded a penalty when Diogo Dalot brought down 18-year-old Tyler Dibling in the box. Thankfully, Andre Onana came to United’s rescue, as he saved Cameron Archer’s ensuing penalty. 

To further compound Southampton’s misery, Manchester United went on the offense and scored just two minutes after Archer’s missed penalty. A delightful Bruno Fernandes cross was nodded home by Mattijs De Ligt. This goal will be a huge confidence booster for the Dutchman, who has come under intense scrutiny for his subpar performances for United and Netherlands. Just five minutes later, Marcus Rashford doubled United’s lead with a curling strike from the edge of the box. 

This goal against the Saints ended Rashford’s lengthy goal drought, which began in March. In fact, this was Marcus Rashford’s first goal for Manchester United in 189 days. Despite his subpar performances, Erik Ten Hag has stuck with Rashford, and today his belief has paid off. As a result, the Red Devils headed into the break with a comfortable two-goal lead. After the break, Manchester United continued to dominate the proceedings. However, Southampton did have a few goalscoring opportunities, but they failed to capitalize on it.  

Any hopes of a remarkable Southampton comeback were thrashed after Saints’ captain Jack Stephens was handed a straight red card for a rash challenge on Alejandro Garnacho. With a man advantage, the Red Devils rubber-stamped their victory when Alejandro Garnacho slotted in a clever Diogo Dalot cutback in the 96th minute. This win propels United to the 7th spot. However, it did look like some key players suffered concerning injuries. The centerback defensive pairing of De Ligt and Lisandro Martinez both came off early with an apparent hamstring injury. United fans will be anxiously hoping it's nothing too serious for their crucial center-back duo.  

Also Read: Three of the Most Memorable North London Derbies in Recent Memory