Martial and Mata goals help Man Utd sink Saints in five-goal thriller

A spell of ponderous Man Utd possession led to a lapse in the hosts’ concentration, as Mata latched onto a loose second ball from an offside position. The Spaniard managed to slide a pass through to Martial, whose quick feet wrong-footed Virgil van Dijk, with a cool turn and finish following to make it two in two for the France forward.

Buoyed by the goal, United almost capitalised on another creative and clever set-piece, though Morgan Schneiderlin could only strike wide against his former club, after Memphis had astutely played a corner around the back to Mata.

Louis van Gaal could not have asked for a better start to the second half, as Martial continued his miraculous adaptation to life in a Man Utd shirt, competing his brace in the 50th minute.

It was Japan international Maya Yoshida who let his side down with an inexplicably sloppy back pass. Alert Martial pounced accordingly to clinically convert a second and finally put the visitors on the front foot.

De Gea then showed just why the Old Trafford hierarchy were so keen to keep the custodian, amazingly keeping out a close-range flick from defender Jose Fonte, repelling the close-range and high speed chance with just one hand.

With Southampton lacking their earlier impressive intensity and again slack in defence, unmarked Mata made it 3-1 to Man Utd after Memphis, still to net in the league, saw his shot ping back off the post into the path of the playmaker, who duly dispatched.

In the final five minutes of normal time it was United’s turn to switch off in defence, as Mane found space outside to whip in a quick cross, with Pelle once again on hand, this time to head home the fifth goal of the game and make for a frantic finish.

United made it through Saints’ late pressure to snatch all three points, though the two teams will have food for thought on Monday morning after sloppy mistakes by both proved costly.