SAINTS led for 40 minutes before Manchester United forward Amad Diallo netted an 11-minute hat-trick to give the hosts a 3-1 victory.

A Manuel Ugarte own goal from a Saints corner gave the Kamaldeen Sulemana-inspired visitors the lead at Old Trafford just ahead of the break.

Substitute Antony spurned a golden opportunity from yards out to level after the break, offering even more encouragement to the believing Saints.

But it was not to be a first Premier League result for Ivan Juric as 22 year old Amad completed his hat-trick in the 82nd, 89th and 93rd minutes.

Saints came into the week with two tough away fixtures knowing they had been winless in 17 successive Premier League matches on the road.

Juric asked his team to be aggressive, play on the front foot and to win the ball high to unsettle the Red Devils, who lost each of their last three at Old Trafford.

The Croatian made only one change to the side that recorded his first win at boss against Swansea City, with Yuki Sugawara replacing Ryan Manning.

Flynn Downes was fit enough to make the bench while Tyler Dibling made his 20th appearance, becoming the fourth 18 year old or younger to do so for Saints.

Kamaldeen looked like a man reborn against the Swans and he continued that form here, nutmegging Leny Yoro in the opening few minutes.

He forced Andre Onana into a save in another action, while Alejandro Garnacho - restored to the lineup for the first time in over a month, missed a big chance.

The Man United man was nearly the recipient of another similarly dangerous chance but Taylor Harwood-Bellis cut out Kobbie Mainoo's square pass.

Onana then produced a stellar double save to deny Tyler Dibling and Mateus Fernandes, although the Portuguese should have finished the rebound.

Onana could do nothing about the opener just two minutes before half-time, as Dibling's flick-on from a Fernandes corner went in off Ugarte's shoulder.

It was only the sixth time Saints had scored first in a Premier League game this season but they were good value for their lead at half-time.

Kamaldeen kept up the pressure after the break, slipping past Leny Yoro with ease twice and seeing one shot blocked and one slide wide.

Southampton's dominance was such that Man United boss Ruben Amorim had made three changes by the 52nd minute and hooked both central midfielders.

Antony should have levelled for the hosts when he was presented with an open goal from yards out but managed to knee the ball sideways into Ramsdale.

Southampton's game management started with 30 minutes still left to play, winning little fouls, delaying the restarts and slowing down the tempo.

Aaron Ramsdale was required for a key stop to deny Bruno Fernandes and James Bree mopped up the seconds as United's influence on proceedings grew.

Starlet Amad dealt the blow with his second bite of the cherry inside the box, finishing beyond Ramsdale after Kyle Walker-Peters blocked his initial effort.

With the score 1-1 in the 82nd minute, both managers instantly shuffled their deck and it was Amorim who - eventually - got the desired response.

A brilliant lofted pass from substitute Christian Eriksen fed Amad, who cleverly ran off Walker-Peters, the chance to beat Ramsdale once again.

Taylor Harwood-Bellis gifted Amad his treble in added time as his loose touch allowed the Ivorian international to snatch possession and score.

Saints have conceded more goals in the last 15 minutes than any other Premier League team this season than Saints, with Amad's third the 12th instance.

Man United: Onana; Yoro (Maguire, 83), De Ligt, Martinez; Amad, Ugarte (Collyer, 52), Mainoo (Antony, h-t), Mazraoui (Eriksen, 83); Fernandes, Garnacho, Hojlund (Zirkzee, 52)

Unused subs: Bayindir, Malacia, Casemiro, Kukonki.

Booked: Martinez.

Saints: Ramsdale; Sugawara, Bree, Bednarek (Wood, 83), Harwood-Bellis, Walker-Peters; Ugochukwu (Onuachu, 83), Aribo (Downes, 73); Dibling (Smallbone, 62), Fernandes (Armstrong, 73), Kamaldeen.

Unused subs: McCarthy, Manning, Lallana, Archer.

Booked: Dibling, Fernandes, Downes.

Referee: John Brooks.

VAR: Paul Tierney.