Manchester United's worshipping of Cristiano Ronaldo backfires vs Southampton

The pattern was almost identical. Manchester United deservedly led 1-0 at the interval only to sieve an equaliser shortly after the restart. At Burnley, it was in the 47th minute. Against Southampton, the 48th.

Much has changed in the year and 10 days since Southampton were annihilated 9-0 on the same patch. Crowds have returned at the expense of misleading training ground atmospheres and the mentality of United's players has wilted with the playing field levelled and pressure cranked up. They have been found out and the punishment may be excommunication from the Champions League.

An interim manager is not going to instil these United players with anything resembling an acceptable mentality, never mind a winning one. Ralf Rangnick did his utmost to enliven the players as the clock ticked towards the 90th minute, running onto the pitch to kick the ball back.

Darren Fletcher barked at the fourth official over the flagrant time-wasting and there was the occasional defiant roar from supporters accustomed to late finishes. Harry Maguire planted a free header well within Fraser Forster's reach in the dying embers. That ensured many matchgoers would boo at full-time.

United's attacking sextet featured the names Pogba, Fernandes, Rashford, Sancho and Ronaldo. The days where the opposition were beaten in the tunnel are so distant the Old Trafford roof did not leak. "Who the f--k are Man United?" asked the Hampshire hordes. Southampton merited their point.

Many walking down the wet Warwick Road would have fancied Southampton, who usually show up at United bar last year's aberration, to return with a positive result. Southampton had no intention of protecting a point after Che Adams arrowed in the equaliser and were the likelier