Manchester United vs Southampton LIVE!

Three late goals from Amad Diallo dragged a below-par Manchester United to a 3-1 comeback victory over Southampton in the Premier League on Thursday.

United will have fancied their chances of getting back to winning ways against bottom of the table Southampton, but the hosts were second best from the off, deservedly falling behind to a Manuel Ugarte own goal just before halftime.

Staring down the barrel of another home defeat, United upped the ante after the break, getting back on level terms through Diallo eight minutes from time, before the Ivorian completed the turnaround in the 90th minute.

A stoppage-time third to complete his hat-trick certainly flattered United, who climbed to 12th in the standings amid another disappointing season, while Southampton remain bottom with six points. Read the game backbelow with our dedicated match blog.

Amad on 'one of the best weeks of my life'

22:14 , Alex Young

Amad Diallo speaking to TNT Sports: "In football you have to believe. We believed until the end and are very happy to win this game. We drew with Arsenal and Liverpool so the confidence was there. We are very happy.

"Maybe one of the best weeks in my life. I am very happy for this win. This team deserved to win this game so I am very happy."

Full-time

21:57 , Alex Young

96min: What a finale. Amad grabs the match ball, he’ll want to keep that.

21:53 , Alex Young

95min: What a turnaround. Incredible.

GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!

21:53 , Alex Young

94min: Amad nicks the ball off Harwood-Bellis and rolls the back into the back of the net for his hat-trick!

Awful mistake, but Amad forced it! What a night for the youngster.

21:50 , Alex Young

92min: Southampton cannot believe they are going to leave Old Trafford empty-handed.

GOALLLLLLLLLLL!

21:49 , Alex Young

90min: Oh my word! Amad in the final minute!

Eriksen dinks the ball over the top and Amad runs onto the ball and beats Ramsdale inside his near post!

21:45 , Alex Young

86min: Antony has done more bad than good since coming on.

21:42 , Alex Young

83min: Eriksen and Maguire are on, Mazraoui and Yoro are on.

GOAL!

21:40 , Alex Young

82min: Amad drills it home on the angle!

What a finish, inside the near post, after the ball bounces off Walker-Peters.

21:38 , Alex Young

79min: Bruno Fernandes tries to dink a shot over Ramsdale, who makes himself big, but there is no United player to follow up!

Southampton just clear the ball.

21:37 , Alex Young

78min: Zirkzee runs at the defence and doesn’t get the ‘man on’ call so is easily tackled from behind in the Southampton area.

It’s just so basic.

21:30 , Alex Young

72min: I’m starting to feel sorry for Yoro. Sulemana has his number again and again and again.

21:28 , Alex Young

68min: United are pushing here, but Southampton dealing with everything thrown at them at the moment.

21:23 , Alex Young

64min: We restart with Zirkzee driving at the defence, waits too long and eventually gets tackled.

21:20 , Alex Young

62min: Break of play as Dibling is getting treatment.

21:18 , Alex Young

59min: How has Antony missed?!

Garnacho puts it on a plate, Antony just had to tap it in at the back post... but slides in and pushes it into Ramsdale’s hands.

He then gets up, smiles and shakes his head.

21:17 , Alex Young

58min: Oh, Sulemana has to score!

United living dangerously as the forward skins Yoro for the 400th time in the game, beats Onana but his shot trickles the wrong side of the post.

21:15 , Alex Young

56min: Garnacho still doesn’t have his eye in has he floats a cross towards Amad but beyond the back post.

21:12 , Alex Young

54min: Two more changes for United as Collyer and Zirkzee are on for Ugarte and Hojlund.

21:11 , Alex Young

53min: Now Southampton win a free kick on the edge of the area.

21:10 , Alex Young

51min: Huge, huge screams for a Southampton penalty as Sulemane’s shot may have hit De Ligt’s hand... but VAR clear it.

21:08 , Alex Young

49min: It’s end to end. Southampton not sitting back.

21:05 , Alex Young

47min: Antony forces a corner straight away.

Second half!

21:03 , Alex Young

46min: Back underway!

21:03 , Alex Young

Antony is on for Mainoo. Interesting move.

20:57 , Alex Young

Anthony is warming up...

20:54 , Alex Young

You wonder what Amorim changes at half-time. Garnacho will be nervous at half-time.

Half-time!

20:48 , Alex Young

48min: United have been very poor. Boos around Old Trafford.

20:47 , Alex Young

47min: Amad wants a penalty but the referee isn’t interested.

20:46 , Alex Young

46min: One minute added on as United push for an equaliser.

20:45 , Alex Young

44min: Dibling now forces Onana into another big save!

GOAL!

20:44 , Alex Young

43min: It’s been coming and even Onana couldn’t stop that one!

Mateus Fernandes sends in the corner, Dibling flicks on and the ball bounces in off Ugarte’s back.

20:43 , Alex Young

42min: Sulemana fancies this tonight, and you don’t blame him. Only a last-ditch De Ligt tackle denies the opener.

20:42 , Alex Young

39min: United scrambling now and the team who are panicking and rushing things.

20:37 , Alex Young

35min: Bruno Fernandes tries his luck from distance and that Ramsdale’s first save.

20:35 , Alex Young

34min: Oh, Sulemana should score!

He has Yoro on toast again, drives at the defence but inside of cutting onto his left and shooting he cuts inside onto his right and gets his angle wrong. His shot flies over.

20:34 , Alex Young

31min: You didn’t expect Ramsdale to be the quieter of the keepers tonight.

DOUBLE SAVE!

20:29 , Alex Young

28min: Oh, wow! Onana has saved United with two huge saves, the first from Dibling and then Mateus Fernandes with the follow-up from point-blank range.

20:28 , Alex Young

27min: Garnacho gives the ball away twice inside a minute. He’s having a shocker so far.

20:26 , Alex Young

25min: Garnacho is at the centre of everything and this time decides to ignore Hojlund to his left and shoots at the legs of the Southampton defender.

20:24 , Alex Young

24min: Another chance for United as Mainoo skips into the area and tries to cut it back to Garnacho, but he’s too static and the pass is cut out.

20:21 , Alex Young

20min: Sitter!

Garnacho has to bury it. Hojlund does everything right to drive into the area and put it on a plate for Garnacho to sidefoot home, but he misses the target!

20:20 , Alex Young

19min: Mateus Fernandes takes a Garnacho shot square in the face. He’ll be OK.

20:18 , Alex Young

18min: Bruno Fernandes wins a corner, which Amad floats in and Dibling clears at the front post.

United have not started this game well.

20:17 , Alex Young

16min: Now Ugarte is beaten with ease to let Fernandes run at the United defence and squeeze a shot through.

Easy one for Onana but United need to respond here.

20:15 , Alex Young

14min: Southampton firmly on top at the moment.

20:13 , Alex Young

12min: Great chance as Sugawara skips past Yoro as if he isn’t there and forces a great save from Onana.

A corker of a cut inside from the midfielder.

20:12 , Alex Young

11min: All the possession is with Southampton at the moment. United not getting out of their own half.

20:10 , Alex Young

9min: Martinez with a late challenge on Fernandes (not that one), and Southampton have a free-kick about 25 yards out.

20:07 , Alex Young

6min: Southampton are all a bit frantic when on the ball. It’s rushed and careless.

20:05 , Alex Young

4min: Fernandes’ delivery has to be pushed away by Ramsdale. Almost snuck inside the near post!

20:04 , Alex Young

3min: A first drive through the middle from Fernandes, who feeds in Garnacho to win a corner.

KICK-OFF

20:01 , Alex Young

1min: Here we go!

20:00 , Alex Young

"Take Me Home, Country Roads" by John Denver is blaring out of the PA system as Southampton win the toss.

19:58 , Alex Young

Teams are out, it’s a packed Old Trafford on this Thursday night.

19:56 , Alex Young

Right, the players are in the tunnel. Not long to go now.

19:48 , Alex Young

Final prep.

19:40 , Alex Young

I mentioned earlier this Southampton team have won just two points from the last 27 available.

United’s record during the same time? Eight points.

No new manager bounce at either team.

Amorim on team news

19:30 , Alex Young

"Harry [Maguire] is tired and he had a tough week. I think Southampton will play without a striker and with more speed in front.

“Leny is a quick player and he is a top talent. He is ready to cope with the demands of the game."

19:21 , Alex Young

Amorim began his reign with heavy rotation to find his best XI, but now three months into the job those changes have become less and less.

It’s now fairly easy to see who he likes, and who he doesn’t.

19:10 , Alex Young

So, Dalot’s replacement is Amad at right wing-back as Mazraoui moves to left wing-back.

Amorim clearly really trusts the former Bayern Munich man, he’s used him in multiple roles this season.

19:01 , Alex Young

It is interesting that Garnacho starts again. He has been linked with a move away this month, with Napoli reportedly very keen.

18:56 , Alex Young

It's two changes for United as Yoro and Garnacho come in. Dalot is suspended, and Maguire is also given a rest.

Southampton also make two changes. Sugawara and Fernandes come in, with Wood and Onuachu making way.

Confirmed team news

18:51 , Alex Young

Manchester United XI: Onana; Yoro, De Ligt, Martinez; Amad, Ugarte, Mainoo, Mazraoui; Garnacho, Hojlund, Fernandes.

Subs: Bayindir, Kukonki, Maguire, Malacia, Casemiro, Collyer, Eriksen, Antony, Zirkzee

Southampton XI: Ramsdale, Sugawara, Bree, Bednarek, Harwood-Bellis, Walker-Peters, Ugochukwu, Fernandes, Aribo, Dibling, Kamaldeen

Subs: McCarthy, Manning, Wood, Smallbone, Downes, Lallana, Armstrong, Archer, Onuachu

Southampton XI

18:46 , Alex Young

...and the visitors!

Man Utd XI

18:45 , Alex Young

Here’s how the host looks!

18:37 , Alex Young

The big questions for Amorim is over who comes in for Dalot, where does Amad goes (those two could be linked) and has Zirkzee earned a start over Hojlund?

18:32 , Alex Young

Team news to come in 15 minutes.

Amorim: This game will teach me more about players than last two

18:25 , Alex Young

Ruben Amorim sayus tonight's will show him more about his Manchester United side than their recent performances against Liverpool and Arsenal.

"I think this next game will teach me more from my players than the last two, so I'm really focused to see what kind of game we are going to play," Amorim said.

"We will learn more (on Thursday). There were no expectations for us in the last two games, nobody believed in us to do a great performance or win a game, but now they are expecting us to win and to play well. So I will learn more in this game."

Squad arrives

18:17

Also spotted arriving at Old Trafford includes: Andre Onana, Altay Bayindir, Matthijs de Ligt, Harry Maguire, Tyrell Malacia, Lisandro Martinez, Noussair Mazraoui, Leny Yoro, Casemiro, Toby Collyer, Christian Eriksen, Bruno Fernandes, Kobbie Mainoo, Manuel Ugarte, Amad, Antony, Alejandro Garnacho, Rasmus Hojlund and Joshia Zirkzee

Oh, and Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

Latest odds

18:10 , Alex Young

The bookies agree with us, then. This should be fairly routine for United tonight.

• Manchester United – 1/3

• Draw – 17/4

• Southampton – 15/2

(Odds provided by Betway.)

Kukoni included again

18:05 , Alex Young

It looks like youngster Goodwill Kukoni is again in the matchday squad tonight. He had made an impression on Ruben Amorim since the manager’s appointment but is yet to get on the pitch.

Surely his time will come soon.

Score prediction

18:00 , Alex Young

Bruno Fernandes said on the pitch at the Emirates on Sunday that the focus was immediately on this game, and he was right to do so. United have managed to get results at the three best teams in the country - Man City, Liverpool and Arsenal - but it is against the weaker teams where they produced far weaker performances.

However, very few teams leave the field after facing Southampton without points - it’s happened just once in 20 games this season - so United have no excuse. Fail to win, and win well, will eradicate the promising signs on show since the start of 2025.

Man Utd to win, 2-0.

Southampton team news

17:50 , Alex Young

Southampton have been boosted by the return to fitness of Flynn Downes.

The defensive midfielder is back in contention to face United, having been absent since being forced off with a leg injury during the Boxing Day defeat to West Ham.

"Flynn Downes did his first training (on Tuesday)," manager Ivan Juric said.

"He is OK. We will see if he can play from the beginning or later, but he is OK."

Matheus Fernandes is available after serving a one-match ban, and Will Smallbone is also back after injury.

Man Utd team news

17:40 , Alex Young

Manchester United will be without Diogo Dalot tonight as Ruben Amorim is forced into changes.

The defender’s two yellow cards against Arsenal in the FA Cup penalty shootout win means he serves a one-game suspension.

In his place, Amad Diallo could come in at right wing-back. On the opposite flank, Tyrell Malacia could be afforded a start.

Harry Maguire earned many plaudits for his performance against Arsenal, but may make way for Leny Yoro in Ruben Amorim’s back three.

The rest of the team should pick itself, with Kobbie Mainoo and Manuel Ugarte in midfield and both Bruno Fernandes and Alejandro Garnacho in attack.

Though Toby Collyer has impressed his manager, who told reporters on Wednesday that the youngster is “one more option for tomorrow."

Ruben Amorim said: "A lot of players I had to think this week, Toby is training really well, he has a lot of pace, he likes to learn."

Rasmus Hojlund could make way for Joshua Zirkzee, but the former appears to be first-choice under the new manager.

How to watch Manchester United vs Southampton

17:33 , Alex Young

TV channel: In the UK, the game will be televised live on TNT Sports 1 and TNT Sports Ultimate. Coverage starts at 7pm GMT ahead of an 8pm kick-off.

Live stream: Fans can catch the contest live online via the Discovery+ app and website.

Welcome

17:29 , Alex Young

Good evening and welcome to the London Standard’s LIVE coverage of the Premier League clash between Manchester United and Southampton.

This is a marker game for United and Ruben Amorim. After taking points off Liverpool and then knocking out Arsenal out of the FA Cup, it’s the games against the weaker teams where United’s mentality struggles.

But, surely, this Southampton team gets nothing today? Stranger things have happened. Kick-off is at 8pm.