Manchester United travel to St Mary's on Sunday hoping to beat a stuttering Southampton side and keep pace with Premier League leaders Manchester City in the process.
With just one victory from five, Ronald Koeman's men will be keen to register a morale-boosting win and set off on the road to prove that they are not a one-season wonder.
Southampton fans will also have mixed feelings about the way their team has begun 2015/16. Failing to qualify for the Europa League group stage feels like a missed opportunity for a club who have not competed in Europe for 12 years, while Koeman’s side have been a little blunt at times in the Premier League.
It has been a rather strange start to the season for third-placed Manchester United, who have managed to win three of their opening five games without ever really playing well.
Nevertheless, the Saints have only lost once in the top flight so far and, although three of their five matches have ended with the scores level, they have generally looked hard to beat – with the notable exception of the 3-0 reverse to Everton.
Regardless of results, question marks remain over the style of football on display, with Van Gaal’s preoccupation with possession often making United look pedestrian and ponderous, lacking the speed and spark associated with the club in recent years.
Scene setter:Manchester United approach the game on the back of a dismal night in the Netherlands in the Champions League after the high of beating Liverpool last time out in the league. The Saints' own European adventure ended abruptly, with last month's Europa League exit to Midtjylland, but they performed well in both fixtures against United last term, winning 1-0 at Old Trafford and falling to a 2-1 reverse at St Mary's that Louis van Gaal admitted was undeserved.
Form guide: United are third in the table after initially moving into second place with the 3-1 victory over Liverpool. Leicester City regained the spot immediately behind runaway leaders Manchester City by beating Aston Villa 3-2 but things have been going pretty well for United domestically despite a loss in the last away game at Swansea City. Southampton are mid-table and are unbeaten in three league games after a surprising 3-0 home loss to Everton.
Team News:
Daley Blind could come in at left-back for the stricken Shaw, who underwent a second surgery in Eindhoven following his horror injury on Tuesday.
Captain and striker Wayne Rooney, who has sat out United's last two outings, is fit again and he could displace Anthony Martial, who started at PSV.
Centre-back Phil Jones is nearing a return to fitness, but Sunday comes too soon for the England international.
Sadio Mane, who was linked with a move to Old Trafford, could return to Southampton's wing after dropping to the bench for the draw at Albion last week.
Jordy Clasie and Ryan Bertrand are progressing well from injury, but the pair remain a couple of weeks away from selection.
Expected XI
Southampton
Stekelenburg
Soares
Fonte
van Dijk
Targett
Wanyama
Ward-Prowse
S. Davis
Mane
Tadic
Pelle
Soares
Fonte
van Dijk
Targett
Wanyama
Ward-Prowse
S. Davis
Mane
Tadic
Pelle
Manchester united
De Gea
Darmian
Smalling
Rojo
Blind
Darmian
Smalling
Rojo
Blind
Herrera
Schneiderlin
Mata
Young
Memphis
Rooney
Schneiderlin
Mata
Young
Memphis
Rooney
Prediction:
Southampton 0-2 Manchester united
As inconsistent as Southampton have been early doors, the visit of United might be just what the doctor ordered as they bid to kick-start their stuttering season. That being said, the Red Devils will be on a high after beating Liverpool and we reckon that Van Gaal will one-up Koeman with a great win.
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