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Southampton 2-2 Manchester United: 5 Hits and Flops

Herrera celebrates his equaliser during a frenetic affair on the south Coast
Herrera celebrates his equaliser during a frenetic affair on the
south
Coast

Manchester United battled back from a two-goal deficit to secure a hard-fought point against Southampton at St. Mary's in Saturday's evening kick-off - but neither side left particularly happy. 

Fantastic goals from Stuart Armstrong and a Cedric Soares free-kick saw the hosts race into a 2-0 lead after just 20 minutes, but even the most skeptical viewer would have been aware of the Saints' defensive frailties. 

Romelu Lukaku scored his first league goal since September to halve the deficit, before Ander Herrera's deft backheel finish levelled the scoring on the stroke of half-time. Neither side were able to take advantage in the second-half, during a frustrating watch from a neutral perspective. 

With that in mind, here's a look at Five hits and Flops from a frenetic affair on the south Coast:


#5 Flop: Scott McTominay

It was another difficult display for Scott, who again played in central defence
It was another difficult display for Scott, who again played in central defence

It feels slightly harsh to criticise the 21-year-old too tough, but he continues to stick out like a sore thumb in Manchester United's makeshift backline - alongside Nemanja Matic - both of whom are defensive midfielders.

The real issue lies with Mourinho, who clearly doesn't feel confident enough to utilise the Scottish international in his preferred midfield role given the amount of competition there is for places there. However, it's where he is most comfortable and on this occasion, there were moments you could see that too. Whenever playing out from the back with the ball at his feet, he looked comfortable and assured. 

With that being said, Southampton raced into a two-goal lead and Scott didn't cover himself in glory. Was beaten far too easily whenever the hosts - namely Nathan Redmond - accelerated forward and doesn't provide you with much confidence that he'll win possession when committing to challenges. 

That's partly due to indecision, as he's usually unsure whether to press and attempt a tackle or delay the oncoming attacker, shifting them onto their weaker foot or waiting for additional defensive support. He looked quite nervy in transition and while Matic nor Phil Jones were fantastic, the pair showed why they've been mainstays under Jose Mourinho. He has much to learn. 

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