Zlatan Ibrahimovic leads Manchester United to EFL Championship

 

Manchester United 3-2 Southampton: Zlatan Ibrahimovic is the Red Devils' Wembley hero as he scores a brace in EFL Cup triumph over plucky SaintsRead more: 

Southampton had the better final, Manchester United the better player. The one, the only, Zlatan Ibrahimovic. This was his cup, even more than theirs. It was a fine game and Southampton had the best of it. Yet they were never in front and there was always the danger it would end in tears. Why? That man. There was no significant period of the game in which United dominated, but nor was there a moment when Ibrahimovic did not look capable of being the deciding factor. What a player he is. For all his achievements across Europe, it has taken this, a season in the twilight of his career, to convince the sceptics here of his career, to convince the sceptics here of his greatness. 

It is more than just his 26 goals. It is occasions like this when Ibrahimovic commands the stage as only a giant of the game can. It does not matter how well his team are playing. It is irrelevant who deserves what. Zlatan decides.

On Sunday he decided the first major trophy of the season should go to United.

He decided the Community Shield should be theirs in August, too — and Jose Mourinho counts that. He bought him to make the difference and he has not disappointed. Mourinho always knew what United were getting in Ibrahimovic; now the rest of the country does, too.

He is great, make no mistake. He scored a great free-kick to put United ahead against the run of play and his goal that won the match — after Southampton had fought back — was great, too.

Started by Ibrahimovic, finished by him as well.

He is a target man in the truest sense of the term, always showing, always offering the out ball when his team-mates are pressed. A leader, too. It was noticeable when Jesse Lingard scored United's second — another beauty, by the way — he immediately shared the joy with Ibrahimovic. It is as if he has become the father figure for the younger United players, the way Eric Cantona was to a previous generation.

Yet it would be harsh to make it so much about one man when Southampton were a huge part of this game. Arguably, they deserved to win. Southampton endured a trio of setbacks in the first half that would have crushed a lesser side. Instead, from 2-0 down, and having had a good goal disallowed, they stood level on 48 minutes. 

Southampton had the best of the play, but trailed as a result of two moments of sublime individual finishing from United.

In addition, they would have opened the scoring were it not for a flag which, we now know, denied striker Manolo Gabbiadini a hat-trick.

These are bad breaks that any team can ill-afford against opponents as well-equipped as United; on such a big occasion, it must have been doubly hard to take.

Credit coach Claude Puel, too, for taking the game to United from the start. There were just two minutes on the clock when Dusan Tadic whipped the ball across the face of goal, unfortunate not to find a team-mate to administer the vital touch. A similar move, getting in behind United, but this time from the opposite flank, should have given Southampton the lead on 11 minutes.

It was Cedric on the right, hitting a low cross which was turned in by Gabbiadini. A flag was up. Ryan Bertrand was in an offside position, but he did not play the ball. Gabbiadini did, and he came from behind United's defenders. It should have stood. 

As so often happens in these circumstances, United made the most of their good fortune. In the 18th minute, Oriol Romeu was booked for a foul on Ander Herrera 25 yards from goal. Ibrahimovic stood over it, having scored four goals in his last four finals for Paris Saint-Germain. There was only going to be one taker and Ibrahimovic took full advantage of Southampton's little errors.

Juan Mata stepped out of the wall and left an inviting gap, captain Steven Davis was distracted and did not jump to block at the vital moment, goalkeeper Fraser Forster seemed slow to react. He was beaten to his right.

Still, Southampton pressed. David de Gea saved from James Ward-Prowse and Tadic, and then it happened again. United's second was against the run of play, too, but it is hard to say they got lucky with a goal so sweetly taken.

Anthony Martial and Mata were involved before Marcos Rojo slipped the ball to Lingard in a central position. He finished beautifully, passing the ball into the corner through Southampton legs. And that should have been it. Southampton could have easily surrendered, cup final or 

not.

Instead, 10 minutes later they were level, and might even have been ahead. The last meaningful attack of the first half got them back in it.

 He appeared to be talking him through instructions when Ibrahimovic had the last word. United cleared and broke. Ibrahimovic took the ball, knocked it some way ahead to gain distance, but knew he could not win the foot race. So, he laid it off.

Did he then sprint into the box? No, he's too smart for that. He watched United build the pressure. Martial held on to the ball and made progress, gamely. He laid it out to Herrera.

Now Ibrahimovic was interested, as was Mourinho on the touchline. The striker had started his run into the box moments earlier, timing the arrival to perfection to meet a cross with a header that left Forster no chance.

Mourinho told Rooney to sit down. Ibrahimovic stayed on and Mourinho collected his 11th cup win in 13 finals.

'Zlatan gave us the cup,' he said, as his players cavorted with the trophy. Southampton might not have deserved to lose, but Ibrahimovic deserved to win. And, special player that he is, he was happy to carry United along with him.

Tottenham remain point above Southampton

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Tottenham twice came from behind to earn a valuable point at Southampton in the battle to secure European football.

Graziano Pelle gave the hosts the lead after seizing on a defensive lapse to prod home before Erik Lamela diverted the ball home via his arm for 1-1.

Pelle again put the Saints in front with a powerful header, but their lead lasted just five minutes.

Nacer Chadli latched on to Eric Dier's through ball and converted from close range to secure a point.

The result means Spurs remain sixth, a point ahead of Saints and level with fifth-placed Liverpool, who have a game in hand.

outhampton fans renamed the match Ronald Koeman Day in support of their Dutch manager and arrived at the game dressed in orange as former boss Mauricio Pochettino made his first return to St Mary's since his acrimonious departure to Spurs last summer.

Morgan Schneiderlin forced Tottenham keeper Hugo Lloris into the first save of the game before the opener arrived in the 30th minute.

Sadio Mane did the damage, splitting the Spurs defence with a searing run into the box and, with the ball at his feet and facing his own goal, Spurs left-back Ben Davies hesitated and Pelle nipped in to prod home from close range.

St Mary's was stunned into silence before the break with Lamela appearing to deflect the ball into the net with his arm as he attempted a header from Dier's cross for the equaliser.

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho frustrated by penalty decisions vs. Southampton

http://www.espnfcasia.com/chelsea/story/2349491/chelsea-boss-jose-mourinho-frustrated-by-penalty-decisions-against-southampton

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho believes a wrongly awarded penalty in the 1-1 draw with Southampton denied his side an eight-point lead at the top of the Premier League.

The Blues are six points clear of second-placed Manchester City with a game in hand but, for the second time against Southampton this season, Mourinho bemoaned decisions by the officials.

He was fined 25,000 pounds for saying there was a "clear campaign" against his side after Cesc Fabregas was denied a penalty and booked for diving instead in the 1-1 draw against the Saints at St Mary's in December.

On Sunday, Mourinho was frustrated that Nemanja Matic was penalised, allowing Dusan Tadic to score from the spot and cancel out Diego Costa's first Premier League goal for almost two months, and that Branislav Ivanovic was not awarded a spot kick at the other end.

"I'm happy with the situation. I'm happy with the six-point lead, but I'm not happy with the result,'' he said.

"If you remember our two matches against Southampton: in one game, one penalty that is not a penalty, and in another game a penalty that was not given. You are speaking about six points transformed into two points.''

Mourinho was upset with the penalty decisions, but bit his tongue on this occasion.

He said: "My opinion is not important. Important is Mr Mike Dean [the referee]. His decision was a penalty [for Southampton] and his decision was no penalty on Ivanovic.''

Ivanovic may have been clipped by Tadic but fell theatrically, possibly dissuading Dean from pointing to the spot.

Asked about the fall, Mourinho deferred to his media officer sitting alongside him, saying: "You have to control me, if not...''

He was told that television pundit Graeme Souness -- with whom he had a public exchange of views this week after he criticised Chelsea's conduct in the Champions League exit to Paris Saint-Germain -- thought that Matic had conceded a penalty.

"Graeme Souness says also that it's more a reason to criticise a player who asks for a yellow card than a player who kicks somebody in the chest,'' Mourinho added.

"I went to Sky and they told me their pundits said it's a penalty. I went to BBC and they told me it's not a penalty. I went to the radios and they told me it's not a penalty.

"Pundits are paid to wear my suit, but I'm not paid to wear their suit or to comment on their comments.

"If one day I become a pundit, I will wear a manager's suit. I will win every game, because pundits win every game, and then I can be critical and I can be phenomenal like they are.''

Matic was replaced by Ramires soon after a second-half foul on Sadio Mane that could have seen him booked for a second time and sent off for a second successive Premier League game.

"When that penalty is given you have to believe that the second yellow card can come,'' Mourinho said, referring to Ramires' sending off at Aston Villa last season.

The manager was pleased with his players' response to their European elimination on away goals as their grip on a first title in five years tightened following Manchester City's 1-0 loss at Burnley on Saturday.

But the Portuguese said he felt third-placed Arsenal, seven points behind, are still in the title race.

He said the Gunners have an easier run-in than Chelsea and added: "More teams are in the race.

"For me, which momentum [for Arsenal]? Three-one against Monaco or 3-0 against West Ham? It depends on the momentum.

"If somebody tells me in August that at the end of March we are six points in front and one match in hand, I would sign immediately. No doubts."

Southampton beat Manchester United 1-0

Manchester United 0-1 Southampton: Substitute Dusan Tadic hits the winner for high-flying Saints as they overtake United and move up to third in the Premier League table

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2905569/Manchester-United-0-1-Southampton-Substitute-Dusan-Tadic-hits-winner-high-flying-Saints-overtake-United-Premier-League-table.html#ixzz3Ohp6VGBT 
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This defeat will hurt Louis van Gaal. History tells us that he doesn’t like conceding ground to Ronald Koeman.

It will disturb Manchester United supporters even more, though, simply because it is indicative of changed circumstances.

During the golden years, only the really big teams came to Old Trafford with victory in mind. Now, that invitation is open to any side who have the courage and nerve to take it. Sides such as Southampton. 

Koeman’s team didn’t win this match with a smash and grab. It was no backs-to-the-wall, hang-on-and-hope operation. Not a bit of it.

Southampton came to Manchester looking to outplay United, while Saints’ manager came to prove himself tactically more astute than the compatriot with whom he once worked fractiously at Ajax.

As the result suggests, both plans worked. The winning goal in the 69th minute, from Serbian substitute Dusan Tadic, surprised nobody, while United’s jumbled attacking formation failed to produce anything resembling a chance until Juan Mata missed a couple of opportunities late on.

Southampton goalkeeper Fraser Forster had to be vigilant but no more than that. He won’t be washing his gloves this week, so rarely did he have to use them.

An interesting fact — the one that dominated social-media chat at full-time — was that United ended the game without registering a shot on target. That put Wayne Rooney’s suggestion that United had ‘deserved to win’ into its proper context and was indicative of the home team’s impotence in the final third of the field. 

Perhaps equally as pertinent, though, was that this was a game that ended with no late cavalry charge from United. Here at Old Trafford, United teams used to view the possibility of victory for their opponents as an affront to their pride, as an insult even.

Even on the days they did lose, they did so while threatening to kick the door down.

Not on Sunday, though. Van Gaal made late substitutions and changed things round a bit. He pushed Rooney up the middle and threw on Marouane Fellaini to try to unsettle Southampton physically.United still ended the game quietly, though. Beaten in every way.

Young striker James Wilson remained on the substitutes’ bench while Radamel Falcao — £280,000-a-week Radamel Falcao — watched from afar, having failed to make the squad.

It was all a little odd, but then maybe not that odd at all. For this is the type of thing that always looks as though it may happen to United these days.

The misery and defeatism of David Moyes’s time at United has disappeared but a vulnerability remains. Indeed, Van Gaal’s United have the same number of points that Moyes’s team did after the same number of games. Koeman was gracious afterwards but still struck a relevant theme when he mentioned the ‘difficulties’ of United’s three central defenders. He also stated that victory had not surprised him.

‘It is a good feeling,’ he said. ‘Certainly it’s better than how I felt when United beat us at Southampton.’ 

Southampton began brightly, and Steven Davis and Pelle were denied by interventions from Chris Smalling and Luke Shaw respectively. Pelle also headed wide from a corner before, with 21 minutes to go, United’s defence was breached.

It was Tadic’s vision that did the damage. He seemed to have his head down amid a sea of red after United had failed to clear a long pass to the edge of their own area. But somehow the Southampton man spotted Pelle unmarked to his right and squeezed the ball out to his team-mate.

One on one with David de Gea, Pelle should have scored, but even though his shot rebounded from the near post, Tadic was alert enough and calm enough to side-foot the ball back into the empty goal from 15 yards.

There was still time for United and Mata could — maybe should — have scored late on.

Twice Daley Blind provided the Spaniard with good chances but twice he failed to hit the target. Soon after, he missed again with a half volley.

In many ways, Mata sums up the current United. Talented but unreliable, only sporadically impressive.

Manchester United roars to another win, Southampton tumbles to its second consecutive loss

Southampton 1-2 Manchester United: Robin van Persie scores twice as Louis van Gaal's side move up to third in Premier League

The mark of a good team is they play poorly and win. Not as poorly as this, mind you. Manchester United were very ordinary indeed.

Still, this is their fifth consecutive victory under Louis van Gaal and they have clawed their way up to third in the Premier League, so they must have something.

What they had on Monday night was a world-class finisher in Robin van Persie. Since his title-winning first season at United he has often been criticised, but this was one of those occasions when he was the difference.

Poor defending from Southampton — horrid for the first goal, in fact — was equally responsible for United’s win, but a lesser striker would not have taken his only two chances of the game with such assurance. To nutmeg the goalkeeper twice is no accident. Van Persie knew what he was doing.

If only the same could be said for the rest of his team. United’s defence still has little on its side but mystery at times, and Marouane Fellaini is as capable of having a bad game as a good one.

Credit Van Gaal with swiftness of thought, though. Sensing that Fellaini was struggling in the heart of midfield, he introduced Ander Herrera at the expense of Paddy McNair after 39 minutes. Having already lost Chris Smalling to injury, it was a bold move.

United were impressive in the last 20 minutes when, having gone in front against the run of play for a second time, they toughed it out as the better teams do. David de Gea was impressive in that period, so too Jonny Evans, Smalling’s replacement. He hadn’t played a League game since September but held up well to what little Southampton had to offer by that time.

To be fair, they looked stunned at what had unfolded. At 1-1 many here were no doubt thinking of this as two points dropped. Suddenly they had surrendered all three.

Quality players make the difference. Van Persie had two good chances and scored two goals. Shane Long was in similarly excellent positions either side of half-time and missed both. The game was won and lost right there.

There were 12 minutes gone when Van Persie gave United the lead from their first attack of note. Credit to Wayne Rooney, who did well to apply pressure to centre-half Jose Fonte, but he cannot have expected to force such a thoughtlessly blind backpass. It fell to the prowling Van Persie, leaving him one-on-one with Fraser Forster.

England’s understudy advanced but Van Persie’s smart finish went straight through his legs. At that point, it looked as if it might be another sobering occasion for Southampton against their superiors, following reverses to Manchester City and Arsenal.

But no. Ronald Koeman’s team quickly rallied and within three minutes, Graziano Pelle had headed a Steven Davis corner just wide.

From Southampton’s next attack, they were level. Fellaini played a desperately poor pass straight to the feet of Davis who went on a marauding run into the area, feeding Pelle, who was tackled. The ball ran to Long wide on the right and his cross was met by Dusan Tadic, whose shot was charged down, only for Pelle to finish from close range.

And that set the pattern for the next 40 minutes at least. Southampton should have been three clear when United scored. In first-half injury time, Nathaniel Clyne crossed from the right, Sadio Mane won the ball and it fell to Long, who missed an excellent opportunity.

The second half was little more than five minutes old when Tadic crossed to the far post for Long, who again squandered the chance.

After 60 minutes, Tadic played the pass of the night to put Pelle in, but Southampton were found wanting in front of goal a third time.

Still, that is his sixth goal in 14 appearances for United this season, not the worst return, and Van Gaal’s team are finally finding ways to win. Liverpool visit on Sunday — the match Sir Alex Ferguson always regarded as the biggest of the season — and United have the forward momentum in that match-up now, make no mistake.

For Southampton, it gets no easier. Everton, Chelsea and Arsenal are all to come in quick succession, and in the past nine days they have dropped from second to fifth, West Ham United now stealing their thunder as underdogs among the Champions League elite.

Koeman will be only too aware that Southampton’s defeats this season have all come against the biggest clubs — Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal, Manchester City, now Manchester United — and they will have to overcome that fear of heights in the second half of the season if it is not to drift towards anti-climax.

Manchester United fans, meanwhile, will dream of chasing down first City, then Chelsea, just like the good old days. They will need to play better than this, though. Good teams find a way to win when playing badly; but they don’t make a career out of it.

Southampton destroys Sunderland 8-0

Southampton 8-0 Sunderland: Ronald Koeman's side destroy hapless Black Cats to keep pace with Manchester City and Chelsea

Southampton steamrollered Sunderland by hitting eight goals past them for their biggest league win in almost a century.  The last time scenes like this were seen was when they scored eight away from home against Northampton Town in December 1921.

Ninety-three years later and Southampton repeated the feat in front of a home crowd for the first time. 

The home side were already cruising four goals ahead when they added four goals in 16 minutes of devastation to annihilate the visitors.

Only two teams have ever scored more in a single Premier League game; Manchester United hit nine past Ipswich in 1995 and Tottenham did the same against Wigan in 2009.

But this result added Ronald Koeman's Southampton into the pantheon of great performances.

Even the Southampton manager admitted he was surprised by the result. 'I'm still a little bit in shock,' Koeman said afterwards. 'That is not a normal result. I was surprised after 20 minutes about the score; 2-0 up and we didn't start the game well. Sunderland were dominating and we had problems.

'The first 20 minutes it was very flat. But that's football and sometimes you're surprised how the game is changing. If you're asking me after 15 mins if it will be an easy win my answer would be no.

'In the end we played great football, we scored great goals and it was a great afternoon.'

The tone was set for the afternoon when Santiago Vergini scored the own goal of the season in only the 11th minute.

Sunderland's defender can surely not have struck a sweeter volley and the ball flew into the bottom-right corner past his own goalkeeper Vito Mannone.

St Mary's Stadium was momentarily stunned into silence.

An incredulous Gus Poyet was the most shocked. 'Even if you watch that 20 times you don't know how it can happen,' the Sunderland manager said.

The home side doubled their lead on 18 minutes when Steven Davis ran down the left flank and sent in a low cross for Graziano Pelle, completely free, to continue his tremendous form with a tap in.

Then, with similarly sloppy marking, it was three on 37 minutes. Jack Cork made a late run into the box and was not picked up, Dusan Tadic picked him out with a clipped ball from inside the box on the left and he forced the ball in.

Substitute Liam Bridcutt added to Sunderland's embarrassment by sending the ball into his own net in the 62nd minute.

Pelle's shot was saved by Mannone but the ball squirmed into the path of Bridcutt, then squirmed between his feet, then squirmed over the line.

If only Poyet had pointed his players in the right direction.

It took only another seven minutes before Southampton made it five. This time Pelle made no mistake with his shot, running on to Tadic's through ball and sending a the ball across goal into the bottom left corner.

That was his sixth goal in eight Premier League games since signing in the summer, celebrating in fitting style his player of the month award and scoring on his Italy debut during the international break.

Southampton were as relentless as Sunderland were shocking and added another two goals in the space of a minute.

Mannone played his part in Sunderland's comedy show, passing the ball straight to Tadic who sent it back past him and into the open net on 78 minutes. 

Then almost straight from the kick off substitute Victor Wanyama fired first-time past the Sunderland goalkeeper.

And with four minutes remaining Tadic crossed low into the box for another substitute, Sadio Mane, to run in and place the ball into the net.

The result well and truly dispelled the myth that the winner of the manager of the month award goes on to have a poor result in their next game.

After the accolade was picked up by Koeman for leading Southampton to the top three in the opening part of this season, Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho reminded everyone of the that curse ahead of the weekend's fixtures. 

That he is even mentioning Koeman says a great deal about how much of an impression Southampton, in third, are making.

'Maybe I thank Mourinho for that,' Koeman joked. 'He gave my players motivation. I like Mourinho. I look forward to playing Chelsea.'

The game could have been different had referee Andre Marriner awarded Sunderland a first-half penalty when Steven Fletcher was played through on goal by Lee Cattermole, knocked the ball past the on-rushing Fraser Forster then tumbled over the Southampton goalkeeper.

It was still only 2-0 at that point. 'If the ref did his job, it's a penalty and a red card and maybe 2-1 and then we're talking about a different game,' Poyet explained.

A Sunderland fan who had made the 650-mile round trip, across the whole country and back, was caught on camera sobbing by the end. No wonder, it was the first time they had conceded eight since September 1982 against Watford.

'I can't explain what happened,' Poyet added. 'I will let the players explain to you, maybe they will have better words. I don't.

'It's going to be a difficult week. The players who are on the pitch next week are going to do something about it.'

Daniel Sturridge sealed Liverpool win over overly poached Southampton 2-1

Daniel Sturridge scored second goal for Liverpool

BBC Sport

Liverpool made an unconvincing start to life without Luis Suarez - but goals from Raheem Sterling and Daniel Sturridge edged them past a Southampton side who shone despite their summer upheaval. 

Although the £75m sale of Suarez to Barcelona stripped the Reds of one of the game's most prolific strikers, Sterling and Sturridge struck either side of a Nathaniel Clyne equaliser to compensate on this occasion.

But Liverpool were left hanging on for the win and will have to improve significantly if they are to repeat or improve on their second-place finish last season. 

 

A new-look Southampton, under new manager Ronald Koeman , were the more dangerous team for long periods and might have claimed a deserved point when Morgan Schneiderlin fired against the bar late on.

Following a turbulent few months in which the south coast club lost their manager and a host of key players, this display suggests reports of their demise could be premature.

The irony of the fixture was that three of those players - Rickie Lambert, Adam Lallana and Dejan Lovren - moved to Anfield as part of a post-Suarez rebuilding job that has seen Liverpool spend more than £100m, with the transfer window still open for another two weeks.

Lovren was the only member of that trio to start against his former employers as Lambert took a place on the bench and Lallana missed out with a knee injury - and the Croat made an instant impression. 

Chelsea blanked Southampton 3-0

Eden Hazard celebrates with Ramires after scoring the 3rd goal for Chelsea

Chelsea dominated a tired Southampton side to secure a convincing 3-0 win in the latest round of English Premiere League football.

Earlier in the game both teams displayed excellent defensive game that ended the first half with a nil-nil scoreline.  Things became different in the second half as Oscar and Willian replaced Juan Mata and Andre' Schurrle respectively.   At the 60th minute mark, Oscar shot wide from the left flank which was slightly deflected by Southampton's Calum Chambers. The shot went past Kelvin Davis and hit the lower back post which rebounded and allowed Fernando Torres to nudge a header for the opening goal for Chelsea. 

Then in the 71st minute, the duo of Oscar and Willian played perfectly as Willian received a cross from Oscar from the left before powering a curl that slip past Kelvin Davis to give Chelsea a 2-0 lead.  

Just as Chelsea was secured of three points of the night, Eden Hazard released Oscar to force a one on one with Davis which was completed by the diminutive left winger from Chelsea. Oscar's late goal made the final scoreline.