Southampton Lack the Steel to go with their Cutting Edge

Southampton treated the Sky audience to another entertaining encounter at St Mary’s this afternoon, but once again played the fall-guys in what was ultimately Robin Van Persie’s day.

With just three minutes remaining of the ninety Southampton were within touching distance of a wonderful victory to get their campaign up and running, but a quickfire double from Van Persie robbed them of even their first Premier League point. The Saints failed to clear a late corner, Valencia sent a precise cross to an unmarked Ferdinand and when his header rebounded off the post Van Persie was on hand to sweep home. Perhaps a more experienced Premiership outfit would have done more to shut up shop after conceding late, but Manchester United needed little invitation from Southampton to come forward in search of a winner. In stoppage time, Van Persie beat Fonte to a Nani corner and glanced a perfect header past a helpless Davis.

It had taken the Saints a good ten minutes to get hold of the ball at the start of the match, but when they did they put it to very good use. Schneiderlin strode forward and supplied Puncheon on the right, and his cross picked out Lambert at the back post who rose above Rafael to head past Lindegaard. St Mary’s was in raptures, dreaming of another famous victory over United that would be their first for nine years.

Those dreamers were snapped back to reality, though, when Van Persie capitalized on Clyne’s slip to ruthlessly volley past Davis for the first of his three goals on 23 minutes. If this was the signal for Southampton to let the white tide wash over them, the home side hadn’t read the script. The Saints competed with unabashed resolve; Davis, Schneiderlin and 17 year-old James Ward-Prowse effectively stifling the United midfield with neat interplay and telling interceptions. Save for a headed effort from Evra, comfortably repelled by Davis, Southampton had little more to worry about in the opening period while at the other end a Lambert strike flew wide.

In the first half Southampton's focus had been to contain the visitors, but they began the second by creating openings of their own. Lallana and Puncheon provided a constant threat from the wide areas while Lambert was barely marshalled by Vidic and Ferdinand. Ten minutes into the second half, Lambert peeled away to the left-hand side and lofted a perfectly weighted cross into the path of Schneiderlin, who headed into the bottom corner. Once again the Saints were in front, and this time they looked intent on extending their advantage; Lambert narrowly failed to find Ward-Prowse after breaking the offside trap, and Puncheon’s drive was well kept out by Lindegaard at his near post.

While the Southampton attack was holding up its end of the bargain, though, the defence never looked likely to hold out until the final whistle. Too many passes were going needlessly astray in dangerous areas, and while the first of these from Davis was not punished, the second drew a rash challenge from Hooiveld who felled Van Persie in the area. Luckily for the goalkeeper the Dutchman’s penalty was weak, and St Mary’s celebrated Davis’ save as if it were another goal.

But undoubtedly the pressure was growing, not helped by Adkins’ withdrawal of Lambert and Lallana, and with minutes left came United’s double sucker-punch.

Wigan’s late goal last week sparked a mass exodus from St Mary’s, but this one saw the crowd rise to its feet to show their appreciation for what was an excellent attacking display that more than worried Manchester United for long periods. Their side sits at the bottom of the league, but were handed an unenviable fixture list to start their season and should not worry unduly about their lack of points (or point) at this stage.

What is of concern, though, is that the Saints look far too likely to capitulate when put under extended periods of pressure from the opposition. The lack of any established Premier League quality in defence may or may not be the undoing of Adkins’ side this season, only time will tell, but what is plain to see is that as of yet they have been far too easy to score against. The addition of Ramirez and Mayuka supply Adkins with a wealth of striking options, but it looks more and more likely that the Saints' best hope of accumulating the required wins this season will be to outscore the opposition, rather than to shut them out.