Manchester United was on the brink of their fourth consecutive home defeat when Amad Diallo’s dramatic late hat-trick turned the game around.
United beat Southampton 3-1 at in a Premier League fixture at Old Trafford on Thursday.
It is 91 years since United last lost more than three home league games in a row but when Manuel Ugarte’s own goal left Ruben Amorim’s side behind to the Premier League’s bottom club at the break, a fourth looked likely. But Amad had other ideas writes Skysports Adam Bate.
He forced home the equaliser in the 82nd minute before playing a delightful one-two with Christian Eriksen in the 90th minute to put United ahead. Amad then latched onto a characteristic Saints defensive mishap to clinch the match-ball and transform the night.
It was a struggle for much of the evening but the victory lifts United above three London clubs into 12th and builds on that FA Cup win over Arsenal at the weekend. For Ivan Juric and Southampton, it is a desperate blow. They remain 10 points from safety.
Alejandro Garnacho did miss a big chance to slot United in front early on but that was a rare opening for Amorim’s tentative team with Southampton looking the better side in a first half in which only Andre Onana came out with any credit for the home side.
The United goalkeeper kept out the lively Kamaldeen Sulemana, who tormented Leny Yoro throughout, before producing a sensational double stop to deny Tyler Dibling and Mateus Fernandes. But Onana was helpless to prevent Ugarte’s own goal.
Southampton had been the only team not to score a Premier League goal from a corner prior to this game but United’s weakness from set-pieces was evident again, a tenth goal conceded from a corner. Sulemana might have doubled Saints’ lead after that.
And when substitute Antony contrived to miss an open goal, the mood at Old Trafford turned bleak. Amad, as he has so often this season, changed that. As others shrink, he seems to grow under pressure, always wanting it, offering movement on and off the ball.
It was enough to salvage the three points against a Southampton side that crumbled like a team that has won only once all season. Amorim can hardly be satisfied with the overall performance. But for the second time inside a week, he could point to the spirit.
Player of the match: Amad Diallo

Amad Photo: X
Tactically, United were undone by Southampton. Yoro was exposed by Sulemana, the pressing – against a team notoriously error-prone at the back – was uncoordinated throughout, and there was a tentativeness to the team’s play that was alarming.
Some of these players are still uncomfortable with what they are being asked to do by Amorim, the coach himself acknowledging that the demands represent a complete reversal of what they were being taught. Some may be just ill-suited to what is required.
But in those circumstances, you learn even more about players and people. Amad stepped up again. As he did in scoring the winner away to Manchester City. As he did in netting the leveller at Liverpool recently. Here, it was a hat-trick to turn it all around.
He did not wait for it to happen, he made it happen. The first goal was forced home at the second time of asking. The second came through clever movement inside the box, hoping he would be found. The third came from gambling on a defender miscontrolling.
He did it as the nominal wing-back in Amorim’s system, moved there to cover the absence of the suspended Diogo Dalot. How his coach would love it if everyone in his squad could embrace the challenges – mental and tactical – as he has this season.
Player ratings
Man Utd: Onana (8), Yoro (4), De Ligt (5), Martinez (6), Amad (9), Ugarte (5), Mainoo (5), Mazraoui (5), Garnacho (5), Fernandes (6), Hojlund (5).
Subs used: Antony (4), Zirkzee (7), Collyer (7), Eriksen (7), Maguire (6).
Southampton: Ramsdale (6), Bree (7), Bednarek (7), Harwood-Bellis (7), Sugawara (6), Ugochukwu (8), Aribo (7), Walker-Peters (6), Fernandes (8), Dibling (8), Sulemana (8).
Subs used: Smallbone (5), Armstrong (6), Downes (6), Onuachu (6), Wood-Gordon (6).
Player of the match: Amad Diallo.