Diallo hat-trick drags Man United to comeback win over Southampton

MANCHESTER, England :Three late goals from Amad Diallo dragged a below-par Manchester United to an unlikely 3-1 comeback victory over bottom side Southampton in the Premier League on Thursday.

United will have fancied their chances of getting back to winning ways against struggling Saints but the hosts were second best from the off, deservedly falling behind to a Manuel Ugarte own goal just before halftime.

Staring down the barrel of another home defeat, United upped the ante after the break, getting back on level terms through Diallo eight minutes from time, before the Ivorian completed the turnaround in the 90th minute.

A stoppage-time third to complete his hat-trick flattered United, who climbed to 12th in the standings with 26 points from 21 games amid another disappointing season, while Southampton stay on six points and remain 10 adrift of the safety zone.

"In football you have believe," Diallo told TNT Sports. "Very happy to win this. We know we have quality players but we need some times to be more hungry in the final third. Today we showed at the end we were the best team on the pitch."

While there has certainly been recent improvement under new coach Ruben Amorim, United still came into Thursday's encounter looking to avoid a fourth successive home league defeat for the first time since 1934.

Their lack of confidence on the ball was apparent in a poor first half showing. Alejandro Garnacho, making his first league start in over a month, sliced one golden chance well wide but otherwise the visitors were creating the best openings.

A double save from Andre Onana to deny Southampton's lively Tyler Dibling and then Mateus Fernandes from the rebound was the pick of the United goalkeeper’s busy opening period.

The hosts