Man United 0-1 Southampton: Super-sub Tadic stuns dreadful Red Devils
Southampton claimed a second successive Premier League giant scalp with a scrappy 1-0 victory over a dreadfully poor Manchester United - the Saints sealing their first win at Old Trafford in 27 years.
After concluding 2014 with a 1-1 draw with league leaders Chelsea and starting the New Year with a deserved 2-0 victory over Arsenal, Ronald Koeman's men made it back-to-back wins against the big boys thanks to substitute Dusan Tadic’s second half strike.
Juan Mata had a host of clear chances to level late on for the hosts, but the Spaniard fluffed his lines as United - who failed to land a single shot on target in the whole game - paid the price for their inefficiency in front of goal.
The three points sees Southampton, who ended their opponents' run of six straight home league wins, leapfrog the Red Devils into third place.
Chances were at a premium in a stale opening half, with the south coast side going closest to taking the lead when full-back Nathaniel Clyne darted into the box and flashed a shot across the mouth of the goal after just two minutes.
The visitors then suffered a blow on 18 minutes when centre-back Toby Alderweireld hobbled off the field after appearing to jar his knee as he expertly broke down a rare United attack, with Florin Gardos coming on in his place.
The Romanian looked shaky following his introduction as United started to finally have some joy in front of goal, though they lacked the finesse to convert their late chances.
Angel di Maria was first to really threaten the Saints’ back-four, though his low drive failed to test Fraser Forster’s gloves as it glanced just wide of the post, while the Argentine again blasted wide when he perhaps should have squared to the unmarked Mata.
But Mata also showed a lack of judgement when, after Wayne Rooney went down on the edge of the box following a barnstorming run, he decided to appeal for a foul rather than pounce on the loose ball, thus allowing Forster to gather.
The reading of the half-time stats would have brought little solace for either side and it took some time for the tempo to improve after the break
United did begin to pose more of a threat but, after a host of dangerous crosses were well cleared by Southampton - with Jose Fonte deservedly named man-of-the-match - it was the visitors who kicked into gear on 70 minutes, taking the lead with the game’s first, and only, shot on target.
A smart lay off put Graziano Pelle through on goal and, after the striker’s effort bounced back out off David de Gea’s near post, Tadic reacted quickest to the loose ball, guiding a sidefooted shot past a hapless Tyler Blackett who couldn’t prevent the ball crossing the line.
United immediately went in search of the equaliser but they just couldn’t find a route through the Saints’ steadfast defences.
And when they did have a glimmer of the goal in their sights the chances were wasted, with Mata misfiring twice from close-range in the space of a minute, both times from delicious crosses from fit-again Daley Blind.
The Spaniard had an opportunity to redeem himself in stoppage time when substitute Marouane Fellaini brought down a long punt forward and fed him the ball, but again Mata failed to find the target.
The result leaves Louis van Gaal with the same number of points doomed manager David Moyes had collected at the same stage last season, 37, with the Scot's side netting one goal more.