SOUTHAMPTON 0, MANCHESTER UNITED 0
- Eric Bailly gives away a 5th minute penalty to Southampton
- Sergio Romero spares Bailly’s blushes with a great penalty save off Manolo Gabbiadini
- Anthony Martial hits the post in the second half for Manchester United
- Injury worries for Marouane Fellaini and Juan Mata after they are substituted
Manchester United chalked up their 15th draw of the season in a game which will be swiftly forgotten after an early penalty miss by Southampton.
United boss Jose Mourinho made four changes to the side that lost at Spurs on Sunday.
Sergio Romero, Matteo Darmian, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, and Marquante Fellaini came in for David De Gea, Daley Blind, Jesse Lingard, and Michael Carrick.
Admitting that the Europa League was on their minds, Mourinho praised his players for performing despite making changes to the side and hinting that there would be more changes for Crystal Palace, saying: “All of my players gave me positive feelings.”
Mourinho will not have been concerned about criticisms over the way the final three league games have been handled but he will have been worried by possible injuries to Marouane Fellaini and Juan Mata who each went straight down the tunnel when they were substituted.
“Fellaini has a ‘bad feeling’ in the hamstring.” admitted Mourinho who claimed that both sides competed despite having little to play for in the league.
“Sergio had a very good performance, more than very good.” said Mourinho of his goalkeeper after a penalty save to deny Southampton an early goal.
Eric Bailly handled the ball within the first five minutes after misjudging the flight of the ball.
Manolo Gabbiadini was denied by Sergio Romero, however, when he pushed the ball away with a low save to his right to spare Bailly’s blushes.
Bailly could have made amends himself for the error when he went past a clutch of Saints defenders and made Fraser Forster save.
Romero, who looks to have ousted David De Gea for Sunday’s game against Crystal Palace as well as the Europa League final against Ajax in Stockholm, had a good game, producing several saves including from second half chances by Dusan Tadic and James Ward-Prowse.
United had few clear chances as they tried to catch the Saints on the break. Anthony Martial had their best chance when he struck the post midway through the second half and Henrikh Mkhitaryan hit the rebound high.
Although Martial’s curling shot deserved a goal it would have been slightly unfair on the Saints who had more consistently tested Romero during an otherwise drab game.