While Southampton manager Russell Martin insists there are “loads of positives” to take from their 3-0 defeat to Manchester United on Saturday, he admits one aspect of their performance left him angered.
After losing their first four games of the Premier League season, and scoring just one goal, it sounds like Martin is clutching for straws when he seeks the positives. Southampton have a lot of work to do to turn things around to secure safety in the top-flight.
Erik ten Hag will be much more happy with his players. United hit a quickfire double in the first half after Saints forward Cameron Archer saw a penalty saved by Andre Onana.
The penalty saved turned the game in United’s favour.
Southampton failed to register a single shot on target after the penalty miss, except for Archer’s pathetic follow-up effort which Onana denied again.
Russell told reporters after the match (via Daily Echo): “I don’t think we just started really well, I thought we played really well for 30-odd minutes. We were the team that looked most likely to score.
“I loved the performance, the aggression, the intensity in it. Some of the football we played was great. We didn’t make the most of it and then we missed a penalty.
“It completely changed the energy of the game. We didn’t respond well enough to that and in that moment United took some control and capitalised.
“We conceded two terrible goals from set plays. It’s the only thing I’m really angry about today. The lads are trying so hard. They’re giving everything they’ve got.
“There’s some brilliant moments that need to come to more. I think if the moments we have in their box in the first half, if we have their players, I’m pretty sure it’s a goal.
“It’s a different game (after the penalty). You get to half-time and we can maybe re-energise the players a bit. In the second half, both teams were wrestling.
“They had some good moments. They’ve got some top players. We had a lot of guys at the top end of the pitch that were tired.”
It’s not often United score goals from set-pieces, which probably makes it even worse for Southampton.
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