Touchline exchange pays off for Manchester United in perfect win vs Southampton

They have relocated the away end at St Mary's to amplify the home atmosphere yet that worked against Cameron Archer when he stepped up to the penalty spot. All anyone could hear was "United, United, United" from the nearby travelling supporters.

So lackadaisical was Archer's run-up and contact his technique might have been different in an empty stadium. Archer barely reached the target.

Andre Onana had plenty of penalty practice against Arsenal in pre-season and Manchester City in the Community Shield and this was the easiest of his denials. Within seven minutes of Archer's back-pass of a spot-kick, United were 2-0 up.

Sufficiently jolted by the scare, United created a chance for one Dutchman and scored with their second via another Dutchman. Matthijs de Ligt's week might have worsened had Kyle Walker-Peters found a teammate or the back of the net after he danced past him. De Ligt was reprieved and not as merciful at the opposite end when he rose to meet Bruno Fernandes's drifted cross.

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The first half ended with United's followers serenading Marcus Rashford, visibly relieved to have tallied his first goal of the campaign. That was the cue for United's substitutes to return to their seats.

Rashford has started all five of United's matches while fellow wingers Amad and Alejandro Garnacho have been dropped in. Erik ten Hag has avoided rocking the boat with a player whose approval ratings started to rise again with the matchgoers 13 days on from their audible exasperation over his performance against Liverpool. Rashford was substituted to appreciative applause.

Ten Hag merits credit for retaining Rashford and recalling Christian