Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the English Premier League match.
Manchester United were humiliated in their last match at Old Trafford in front of their fans and Sir Alex Ferguson, and they need to bounce back quickly, as the relegation zone isn't far off. However, trips to the south coast haven't been easy for them lately.
Southampton
Southampton have lost all three of their opening matches. They've even slipped up where they should have won. Yes, their finishing has been poor, but there's a silver lining: they are creating chances, which means sooner or later they will convert. Their expected goals statistic in two of the three matches was no less than 1.57 xG. When facing lower-tier opponents, Southampton can comfortably score a bunch, as they did against Cardiff City in the League Cup (5:3). A notable exception was their home game against Nottingham Forest, where the team managed just five shots. The visitors initially adopted a counter-attacking tactic and conceded possession, relying on their defence. It's unlikely that Manchester United will do the same, and there are significant concerns about their defensive stability.
Manchester United
Erik ten Hag seems to have settled on his starting eleven, but the players haven't been delivering. One win in three matches isn't a good haul. Liverpool simply dismantled Manchester United before the international break. For their fans, that match was a knife to the heart. Scoring against Manchester United isn't difficult: they will give you the chances, as Carlos Casimiro generously did twice. In the first half, Liverpool didn't hold a dominant advantage or create many chances – they just scored two from two shots on target. Southampton have capable players who can also punish such mistakes.
Southampton vs Manchester United Prediction
Southampton will undoubtedly create chances at home against Manchester United's shaky defence. United, on the other hand, will learn from two consecutive defeats and will be expected to score at least once against one of the league's underdogs. Therefore, it's best to take both teams to score in this match and avoid betting on the outcome.
