Garnacho seals Manchester United win at Southampton after Onana penalty save | Premier League

Finally, Erik ten Hag could enjoy a game without the kind of jeopardy that had stalked his Manchester United so far this season. Four games into the season Ten Hag appeared embattled but after an awkward opening half hour, well-taken goals by Matthijs de Ligt and Marcus Rashford helped United pull away to victory with uncharacteristic ease. The substitute Alejandro Garnacho capped the scoring in style, lashing United’s third into the net in the 96th minute.

Southampton did not muster a shot on goal from the moment Cameron Archer’s rebound from a 33rd-minute missed penalty ended up in the gloves of André Onana and, to make matters worse for the Saints, Jack Stephens was shown a straight red card for a high challenge on Garnacho. It was a near-perfect day for Ten Hag, who introduced Manuel Ugarte late on for his United debut. On this occasion the full-time boos were not directed at Ten Hag.

That United required a Onana penalty save to rouse them and inspire them to a victory at a team yet to register a point since promotion is perhaps indicative of their peculiar and confusing state. Eight minutes later they led 2-0 and from that point there was no way back for a Southampton team who had given United an uncomfortable ride for the opening half-hour or so. Until De Ligt headed United in front things had looked ominous. There was the seemingly customary questionable body language from their captain, Bruno Fernandes, and De Ligt, fresh from a nightmarish international break with the Netherlands, found himself firefighting in defence. Amad Diallo, who ended the game toying with defenders, offered the hosts encouragement with a couple of undercooked passes.

By the same notion that Southampton’s supporters jeered Russell Martin’s decision to withdraw Tyler Dibling 63 minutes into his first Premier League start maybe points towards their problems. The 18-year-old, who Martin predicts will become “an incredible player” is the latest academy gem and he shone in patches and finished as the overwhelming redeeming light from a fourth successive league defeat. Welcome back to the Premier League and all that.

Dibling, who made just one appearance as a substitute in the Championship last season, forced a fine right-hand save from Onana after drifting inside Diogo Dalot and later earned the penalty. Dibling paused, slowing down Dalot and then pressed play, the teenager wearing miniature shin pads and socks rolled down to his ankles, whizzing past the left-back. In his desperate attempt to keep chase, Dalot tangled with Dibling on the perimeter of the box and the referee, Stuart Attwell, awarded a penalty.

A couple of minutes later Archer eventually stepped up to take the spot-kick but Onana saved an unconvincing effort low down to his right. The ball boomeranged back towards Archer, presenting the striker with a chance from the rebound, but his header lacked conviction and looped into the gloves of the goalkeeper. Then United’s supporters sang the name of Ruud van Nistelrooy, now a sidekick to Ten Hag, and everything was all right.

Joshua Zirkzee saw a shot deflected wide via Aaron Ramsdale’s fingertips and United led from the subsequent corner courtesy of a well-worked routine. Christian Eriksen played it short to Fernandes, who floated a cross into the box. United were queuing up, Zirkzee lurking behind De Ligt, who twisted mid-air to generate sufficient power on a placed header.

A few minutes later Ramsdale saved from Rashford at his near post as United flew forward three v three. Sixty seconds later Rashford gunned for the same corner and this time he found it, stepping inside Archer on the edge of the box before barrelling a shot into the far corner. From there United were in cruise control, Garnacho garnishing an eerily routine win in the final seconds.