I mean, that's what we expect.

However, Ruben Amorim was quick to dismiss this game as a potential straight forward win. He believes that this match will teach him more about his players than the two unlikely positive results at Arsenal and Liverpool.

As there was no expectation in those games, it was easier to play as we did, with freedom. Now with the worst team in the league coming to Old Trafford, the expectation is not only for United to win but to win comfortably.

The pressure is now ON.

Can the players handle it?

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Predicted Lineup

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I do suspect we will see some changes one of which is forced upon the manager because of a suspension.

Despite his heroics at Arsenal, I feel that Amorim will drop Bayindir and bring back Onana. I think it's very much that Onana is the league 'keeper with Bayindir coming in for the cups.

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Maguire is the defender to miss out (at least from the start) as he was sick during the win over Arsenal and "dead" after that match, according to the manager. Yoro will come in to replace him. De Ligt and Martinez to keep their places.

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Ugarte and Mainoo to continue in midfield and as Dalot is suspended, Mazraoui to move to the left and Amad returning as right wing-back, a position we haven't seen him play in for a while and one that many believe is his best under Amorim.

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This means that Garnacho will start for the second straight game, something he hasn't done for a while, alongside captain Bruno Fernandes.

Ahead of them sees Zirkzee replace Hojlund up front. The Dane has not scored in his last six games, five of which were starts. He has also failed to impress in his overall game this season. It's time for him to sit on the bench.

Hopefully with his new-found confidence, his replacement can be a worthy striker for this match.

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While that is my predicted XI, Amorim has quite a few alternatives to that lineup.

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The manager could start Bayinidir and keep his momentum going. He could drop Mazraoui as part of the back three and rest both De Ligt and Maguire as Yoro can play as the central of the three. This could see Amad on the right with Garnacho on his preferred left-wing. Amorim will then have the option of using Zirkzee next to Bruno as one of the two CAMs and keep Hojlund up front.

He could change the midfield and bring in Casemiro and Eriksen. Malacia could be given a runout at left wing-back.

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Many options for the manager. Whoever he selects though, that side should be good enough to win.

I also suspect that Amorim will want to rotate some of his players because Brighton on Sunday is not only a quick turnaround but also a much tougher game. After that victory over Arsenal that required a lot of effort, that could see some players a little fatigued tonight.

We need to have this game wrapped up by the hour mark at least. This will give the manager that chance to substitute some key players and rest them ahead of Sunday.

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Approach

We will dominate the ball. I don't see how Southampton come to Old Trafford and dictate the play with possession. United have shown improvement in their ball retension under Amorim and if we can do this pretty well at the likes of City and Liverpool, then surely we can do it at home against the worst team in the league.

The manager will be disappointed if this isn't the case.

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The Athletic put out an article about how a lot of United's attacks have come down the left flank under Amorim.

I believe this has to do with the fact that Dalot, who plays there most of the time, is used as more of an attacking outlet than Mazraoui. The Moroccan doesn't get forward as much as his Portuguese counterpart.

The fact that Amad has also been moved into one of the number 10 positions takes away that attacking prowess from the right-wing. He has been brilliant wherever he's played but especially out wide.

It's where he seems to cause the most problems and without him in that position, not only do we miss something on the right, but miss something down the wings in general as while Dalot gets forward a lot, there is a lack of quality in what he produces.

United have also traditionally been a side that prefers the left flank anyway even before Amorim's arrival.

Even Bayindir's kicks from goal at Arsenal went down the left more than the right.

We do need to find more of a balance down the flanks. We cannot be so one-sided. Bruno also starting on the left of the two CAMs may also be a reason for going down that flank.

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Ugarte and Mainoo in midfield will give us the legs we need in the centre. They have been crucial to our play because of the energy they bring but also the balance they provide as the pair compliment each other really well.

United also need to improve by creating chances down the middle as according to that article, MUFC attack down the middle less than everyone else in the league.

Mainoo and Ugarte aren't the most creative so while they tick a lot of boxes, that is one they need to improve. Bruno is the only real creative midfielder we have which isn't ideal. This gives him too much responsibility to make things happen.

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And then it is about creating chances in the final third, another area of our game that has seen recent improvement but still not at the level required for where we want to be.

Hojlund has hardly had a sniff in the last couple of games and in fact prior to the LFC draw, United hadn't scored in three games in a row (Utd 0-3 Bournemouth, Wolves 2-0 Utd, Utd 0-2 Newcastle). This shows that it isn't all sunshine and rainbows despite the last two results being positive.

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The last time a striker actually scored was on the 19th of December in the 4-3 loss at Spurs which was a month and six games ago! This goal also came about because of poor build up play form Spurs rather than United making anything happen.

Although the high press was good in that instance and shows that perhaps this is a way for us to create chances.

It's unsurprising that the top scorer for United in all competitions this season is Bruno Fernandes with 8.

When are we going to have a striker who scores goals?

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Form

This is the first league game in over a week and much has happened since then. People may have forgotten just how terrible we are after the last two matches.

United have actually gone down a spot into 15th after the previous two nights' fixtures. Amorim's team have six wins, five draws and a mammoth nine defeats after 20 games. Nine defeats is almost half the games we've played 🤯.

Those nine losses are also the most we've suffered at this point in the league, ever.

Probably 🤷‍♂️.

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A -5 goal difference doesn't make things any better and all this together means we have just 23 points. That is 7 above the drop zone and more than double that (15) behind the top 4.

The recent form isn't great too as we've only won one of our last five. That was in the derby. In-between that and the draw at Anfield, we lost three on the bounce.

How can we win and draw at City and Liverpool (and throw in a defiant 10 men penalty shootout win at Arsenal in the FA Cup) but lose to the likes of Bournemouth and Wolves?

This is what Amorim means when he says that this game will teach him more about his players.

He's played the game.

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The home table doesn't make for pretty reading either as MUFC are in 14th in the home table. In our 10 games, we've won four, drawn one and lost five. Five defeats at Old Trafford!

A -3 goal difference makes things worse and just 13 points adds insult to injury.

Good lord!

We gotta win this game.

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Southampton

I mean no disrespect when saying this but these guys may as well be in the Championship already.

They too recently sacked their manager Russell Martin and gave Ivan Juric the monumental task of trying to keep the Saints in the top flight this season.

However, it ain't looking good brev 👎.

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Southampton are this season's basement dwellers as in 10 matches, they've won just one all campaign.

One.

The other 19 have seen three draws meaning the Saints have lost a staggering 16 which is predictably the most in the league. They do also have a -32 GD which is also the most but weirdly, they haven't actually conceded the most. That belongs to Wolves with 48 followed by Leicester on 46 and then Southampton on 44.

So some solace for them.

Something else that will put a smile 😅 on their faces is that they don't have the worst recent record in the league. That title belongs to Ruud's Foxes as they lost all of their last five matches. Just the four for the Saints 🙌.

But with just 6 points and opponents like United (A), title challengers Forest (A) and high-flying Newcastle (H) in their next three, I doubt that they'll be increasing that points tally.

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Southampton are bottom of the away table as well with two draws, eight losses and zero wins. They've only scored 5 (the fewest on the road) and have a -12 GD which is the second-most in the league. Leicester with -15 is the highest.

The Foxes trying to outdo the Saints.

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Recent Meetings

It has been in United's favor in recent years but in the last 14 league encounters, there have been eight draws. However, the other six have all been United wins including that humiliating 9-0 hammering in this fixture in 20/21.

If we were decent, I could've seen that happening again.

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Prediction

I can only see this going one way and if we don't get a convincing win, then we really do have problems.

We beat them 3-0 at their ground earlier this season and I can see a similar scoreline this time too.

What do you reckon will happen when the Devils welcome the Saints?

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Background player image: Noussair Mazraoui |Image via Manchester United official X (@ManUtd)