Premier League: Manchester United vs Southampton

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Manchester United vs Southampton match preview

Southampton manager Ivan Juric says he is “optimistic” that his new team can upset Manchester United at Old Trafford on Thursday after ending an 11-match wait for a win.

The Saints vanquished a run of three consecutive defeats and scored as many goals as they had across their previous eight games with a 3-0 home victory over Championship visitors Swansea City in the FA Cup third round on Sunday.

“We can do it,” Juric said of the prospect of adding a first away win of the season to his first victory since taking charge on December 21.

“It’s a good game. The guys are working well. They are a little bit more confident after the Swansea game… with playing games and training, I think they are starting to do the things I want them to do. It’s normal.

“It’s just an attitude to do the [required] things. If you are training with intensity, with pressing, with aggressiveness, then you will play like this.”

Juric called United counterpart Ruben Amorim’s use of a 3-4-3 formation with former club Sporting Lisbon “almost perfection”.

“He wants to do the same thing at Manchester United,” added the Croatian, whose side are 10 points from safety and 17 behind their 14th-placed opponents.

Amorim considers the challenge an acid test of his players’ much-questioned character. Less than two months after being appointed, Amorim said United’s 2-2 draw at Liverpool on January 5, which ended a run of four consecutive defeats, had made him “mad” because of the unpredictable quality of performances he has overseen.

United produced another surprising result and impressive show of resolve on Sunday, knocking Arsenal out of the FA Cup on penalties at Emirates Stadium despite being reduced to 10 men when Diogo Dalot was dismissed after 61 minutes.

“We have to deliver – or try,” added Amorim. “But the most important thing is to fight in the game and… in the end, win”.

One good omen for Amorim is that United are unbeaten in 16 meetings with Southampton across almost nine years, although three of the last five encounters have been draws since a 9-0 win for the hosts at Old Trafford in February 2021.

Man United vs Southampton team News

Dalot will be absent for the first time this season while the full-back serves a one-match ban for his two bookings at Arsenal, with Tyrell Malacia, who replaced him against the Gunners, an option to start at left-back.

Amorim says 21-year-old Toby Collyer, who has played in the position in the EFL Cup this season, has also caught his eye in training.

Noussair Mazraoui could also swap sides, potentially allowing the likes of Amad Diallo, Alejandro Garnacho or Antony to start on the right.

Defenders Victor Lindelof, Jonny Evans and Luke Shaw remain out through injury, as does midfielder Mason Mount, while Andre Onana, who has been ever-present in the Premier League since joining in 2023, is likely to replace Altay Bayindir in goal despite the Turkiye international’s heroics against Arsenal.

Southampton defender Jack Stephens, who was sent off in their 3-0 home defeat to United in September, will miss the game through injury.

Forward Ross Stewart is also out, but Flynn Downes could return following a thigh injury the defensive midfielder suffered on December 26.

“[Flynn] did his first training [on Tuesday] and he’s OK,” Juric told reporters. “We will see if he can play from the beginning or later.”

Man United vs Southampton expected line-ups

Man United: Onana; Yoro, De Ligt, Martinez; Amad Diallo, Mainoo, Ugarte, Malacia; Fernandes, Hojlund, Garnacho

Southampton: Ramsdale; Bednarek, Harwood-Bellis, Wood; Walker-Peters, Fernandes, Aribo, Ugochukwu, Manning; Dibling, Armstrong




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