Southampton and Manchester United drew 2 – 2 at St. Mary’s stadium in a match where both sides desperately needed points. Marcus Rashford delivered a sublime performance for Manchester United, but ultimately it wasn’t enough to earn a victory.
Marcus Rashford Earns His Side a Point
Effort and Passion
Marcus Rashford will have blisters on his feet after his performance. He covered an enormous amount of ground in this match. He consistently sprinted to close down opposition attackers, produced ferocious tackles, bulldozed his way into the Southampton penalty area, and made countless runs down the flanks. Most admirably, his two assists were easy on the eyes, and he can return to Manchester with his head held high.
Inconsistency
Although Marcus Rashford gave the fans something to be cheerful about, he epitomizes the inconsistency of this Manchester United side. The last time the local youngster produced a performance like this was a month ago against Bournemouth. Similarly, his teammate Paul Pogba hasn’t produced a noteworthy performance since Manchester United played Everton in October. Against Southampton, Pogba gave the ball away cheaply on numerous occasions resulting in added pressure on the away side. These players, and plenty of others must find a way to improve their consistency if they want to qualify for the Champions League next season.
The Next Match
Manchester United will host Arsenal in the next round of Premier League fixtures. If the Red Devils play as they did against Southampton, they will be torn to shreds. The likes of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette could easily run Manchester United’s defenders ragged. They are powerful, determined, and dynamic when they play. Of course, it would be foolish to count Jose Mourinho out before the final whistle has been blown. He has managed his team poorly, but he always seems to dig out a victory when he looks finished.
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