Things we learned from Southampton v Man Utd

You can see why Ten Hag wanted to snap Christian Eriksen up so badly in this transfer window. The Danish midfielder has settled in nicely at United and put on an excellent display of passing against Saints, particularly in the first half when there wasn’t much time to move. 

The hosts were incredibly combative and maintained their shape with discipline in the middle, but Eriksen’s ability to float into pockets of space gave United a vital escape from pressure.

He also showed real desire to bomb forward and aid the attack. Jadon Sancho was largely frustrated on the left wing, often surrounded by three players when he gained possession, but Eriksen helped recycle the ball by making himself available.

The playmaker also had an excellent opportunity to score in the first-half, but he was halted by a stunning defensive sequence from Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side, which saw opportunities for Fernandes, Anthony Elanga and Eriksen blocked on the 19-minute mark.