Fernandes seals tight win for resurgent Manchester United at Southampton

For a brief moment or two, as Bruno Fernandes headed for the corner flag to celebrate scoring the only goal of the game, Manchester United seemed one big happy family and it was easy to forget about the abominations of only a couple of weeks ago or the “Glazers out” chants that preceded kick-off.

Fernandes found the corner of the Southampton goal with a cunning volley and was soon on the receiving end of a hug from Cristiano Ronaldo, warming up on the sidelines, and Casemiro, who made his debut as a late substitute. The club captain, Harry Maguire, again left on the bench, rose from the away dugout to applaud. Erik ten Hag punched the air in delight.

It was fraught and the Southampton substitute Sékou Mara ensured panic in six minutes of second-half stoppage time but United held on to earn successive Premier League victories and a first away win since February.

Somehow United did not score on 19 minutes when they peppered the Southampton goal. First Fernandes miscued a header from a Diogo Dalot cross under pressure from Kyle Walker-Peters and from there another barmy few seconds in the times of United ensued. The Southampton goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu hurried to his near post to deny Anthony Elanga, who at least managed to keep the ball alive. Fernandes swiped at goal but his volley smacked a despairing Walker-Peters in the face and then Armel Bella-Kotchap flung himself at Christian Eriksen’s low shot, the ball cannoning off his shin. Eriksen threw his right hand into the air in resignation.

United did not exactly overpower Southampton, who will wonder themselves how they did not get on the scoresheet. Che Adams flicked on James Ward-Prowse’s corner but an overstretching Bella-Kotchap could only toe-poke over the bar with