Southampton center-back Jannik Vestergaard’s towering header gave the 10-men home side a point after another moment of magic from Manchester United new signing Daniel James looked to have put them on course for victory at the St Mary’s Stadium on Saturday.
The 21-year-old James scored his third Premier League goal in four appearances for the club with a fierce, rising right-foot drive after only 10 minutes and the Welsh winger attacker was the biggest threat for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side.
However, the Saints gained momentum in the second half as a disappointing United side grew increasingly sloppy in and out of possession, and Vestergaard capped a spell of pressure with the equalizing goal just before the hour mark.
Che Adams blazed wide of an open goal and David de Gea had saved superbly from forwarding Danny Ings before the giant figure of Vestergaard rose to meet Kevin Danso’s fine cross.
Danso’s afternoon was ended just a few minutes later as he was then sent off for a lunge on Scott McTominay when he was already on a yellow card, leaving referee Mike Dean with an easy decision to pull out a red card.
United, predictably, laid siege to Southampton’s goal in the closing stages as they tried to force a winner against the 10 men of Southampton but were kept out as Saints keeper Angus Gunn saved superbly from Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood, while both Jesse Lingard and Ashley Young were just off target the whole afternoon.
It leaves the red half of Manchester club with only one win from four league games, the opening-day win against Chelsea being followed by draws at St Mary’s and at Wolves and that home defeat by Crystal Palace last weekend.
