Manchester United vs Southampton
Date: 02/02/2021
K/O: 20:15
Venue: Old Trafford
Referee: Mike Dean
TV: BT Sport
Manchester United welcome injury-hit Southampton to Old Trafford on Tuesday night, with both clubs looking to get their league campaigns back on track after stuttering starts to 2021.
United enter this week’s fixtures second in the table but have won just one of their last four Premier League outings and slipped three points behind Manchester City having played a game more. The Saints, meanwhile, have lost their last three in a row and find themselves in the bottom half of the table after an excellent start to the season.
The reverse fixture in November was typical of United’s season, Edinson Cavani scoring an injury-time winner to cap a memorable comeback for the Red Devils – having found themselves behind away from home. While their away form has remained exceptional, results at home have been below par.
Though Saints appear well clear of a relegation battle, their current injury list can only be described as a crisis. Theo Walcott, Oriol Romeu and Ibrahima Diallo all had to be substituted after suffering knocks in the controversial loss to Aston Villa on Saturday and are touch and go for the trip to Manchester.
Team News
Manchester United
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer confirmed that his side have no fresh injury concerns to contend with following the goalless draw with Arsenal, though the Norwegian suggested he may look to rotate his squad in a bid to manage fatigue.
Two who appear immune to rotation are David De Gea and Harry Maguire, though Eric Bailly is likely to join Maguire in the centre of defence with Victor Lindelof’s ongoing back injury expected to be managed carefully for the remainder of the campaign. Axel Tuanzebe remains fit and available if preferred to both. Luke Shaw and Aaron Wan-Bissaka look set to continue as full-backs, though Alex Telles will be hopeful of more game time on the left in the coming weeks.
Scott McTominay was substituted before half time at the Emirates on Saturday, but it has since been confirmed that the Scot was suffering with temporary stomach cramps. His brief cameo reduces the likelihood that he will be rested on Tuesday, with Paul Pogba and Fred both playing the full 90, while Juan Mata, Donny van de Beek and Nemanja Matic remain primed for action in the fringes of the squad.
Mason Greenwood and Daniel James will be hopeful of starting in attack, with Marcus Rashford, Edinson Cavani and Bruno Fernandes all starting on Saturday. Anthony Martial could be in a straight duel with Greenwood for the central spot if Cavani’s minutes continue to be managed, while Fernandes’ may be afforded a rest soon having started the last 11 league games.
Southampton
Theo Walcott, Ibrahima Diallo and Oriol Romeu could all miss out on Tuesday, while Jannik Vestergaard, Kyle Walker-Peters, Mohammed Salisu, Nathan Tella and Will Smallbone all missed the loss to Aston Villa and are not expected to be ready to return.
Alex McCarthy will continue in goal, with Ryan Bertrand nailed on to start at left-back. But for an early return for Vestergaard, Jack Stephens is likely to line up alongside Jan Bednarek in the centre once again. James Ward-Prowse or Moussa Djenepo could be forced to step in at right-back if Kyle Walker-Peters misses out again, with young Frenchman Yan Valery leaving the club on loan on Monday.
Djenepo’s return to action on Saturday could not have come at a better time, with the Malian front of the queue to join Ward-Prowse in midfield if Romeu and Diallo miss out. Young Swiss Alexandre Jankewitz made his Premier League debut at the weekend when he replaced Romeu and should make the matchday squad again, with an outside chance of starting.
The attack is the only area of Saints squad not decimated by injury, with Nathan Redmond making a timely return on Saturday to offer further depth and allow Che Adams a rest. Redmond will likely move to wide midfield if Theo Walcott misses out, with Adams a shoo-in to partner Danny Ings upfront. Stuart Armstrong is expected to occupy the opposite flank to Redmond in midfield, while Dan N’Lundulu is set for a bench role once again. Deadline day loan signing Takumi Minamino will also likely start on the bench.
Head to Head Record and Stats
- All-time H2H record: Manchester United 66-28 Southampton (34 draws, penalty shoot-outs in knockout competition counted as a win/loss, not a draw)
- Last 10 H2H record: Manchester United 5-0 Southampton (5 draws)
- Manchester United have won only one Premier League home game in 2020/21 in which they did not score a penalty (1-0 vs Wolves, December 29).
- Southampton have failed to score in five of their last seven league games.
Predicted Starting XIs
Manchester United (4-3-3): De Gea; Wan-Bissaka, Bailly, Maguire, Shaw; Matic, McTominay, Pogba; Greenwood, Martial, Rashford
Southampton (4-2-2-2): McCarthy; Djenepo, Bednarek, Stephens, Bertrand; Ward-Prowse, Jankewitz; Redmond, Armstrong; Ings, Adams
Score Prediction: Manchester United 2-1 Southampton
Southampton were incredibly unfortunate to lose to Aston Villa but face a harder test on Tuesday. Saints have coped with injuries for most of the campaign, but with key men missing in the centre of midfield I believe that is where this game will be lost.
