Manchester United vs. Southampton: Winners and Losers from EPL Game

Southampton leapfrogged Manchester United into third place in the Premier League table after winning 1-0 at Old Trafford on Sunday.

Substitute Dusan Tadic scored with 20 minutes remaining to secure the three points for Ronald Koeman's side, as a fine defensive performance from the Saints ensured that United failed to manage a single shot on target over the course of the 90 minutes.

There were injury concerns for both teams, as Toby Alderweireld and Robin van Persie both limped off at different stages of the contest. 

Click on for some winners and losers from the game.

Winner: Jose Fonte

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Jose Fonte was arguably the best player on the pitch on Sunday, as he produced a disciplined and resilient defensive display to leave Manchester United unable to find the back of the net.

Fonte ensured that Robin van Persie had a very quiet night; the Dutchman was eventually withdrawn after barely an hour had gone, hardly having made a peep. The striker seemed to be struggling with a slight injury, but that should not detract from the efficient way Fonte dealt with one of the best forwards in the world.

Fonte's all-round performance was similarly faultless, as he marshalled the Saints back line and ensured that while United's movement occasionally forced the back four to bend, it never broke at Old Trafford.

Much has already been written and said about how it was Dejan Lovren, not Fonte, whom other clubs were looking to steal away from Southampton in the summer. Once again, Fonte showed that it was a mistake for so many clubs to overlook his importance and influence on Southampton's recent form.

Loser: Juan Mata

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Manchester United did not manage a single shot on target during the course of the 90 minutes on Sunday, and much of that was the fault of Juan Mata. The Spaniard had the best sights of goal for his side, squandering the best opportunities to grab an equaliser after Tadic had broken the deadlock.

Two of them came barely a minute apart, both after brilliant crosses from the left from Daley Blind. The first saw Fraser Forster flap at the cross, but Mata missed the target with the goal gaping. Then, moments after, another cross found the ex-Chelsea midfielder at the near post, but his shot arrowed over the crossbar without challenging Forster.

It was a frustrating afternoon for United, but Mata summed up their problems in front of goal. United signed him from Chelsea for nearly £40 million to make the difference in games like this. On this occasion, he was unable to.

Winner: Dusan Tadic

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Southampton manager Ronald Koeman wanted to introduce Dusan Tadic just after half-time. Only problem was, the midfielder had neither a shirt nor his shin pads with him on the bench.

A staff member headed back to the dressing room to get both items, and Tadic was belatedly introduced into the fray. The substitution was worth the wait: He showed his undoubted vision to play Graziano Pelle into space, and the Italian's shot rebounded off the post and perfectly into his path to tap home.

It was the decisive moment in the match, and Tadic celebrated it fully: by removing his shirt to show off his rather impressive physique, as Southampton began to believe an historic result could be on the cards. 

So it proved. The defence may have been the backbone of the victory, but Tadic's moment of inspiration was required for the three points to be secured. After an inauspicious start, it was a perfect conclusion.

“He scores the winner, fantastic," Koeman said afterwards to Sky Sports. "But the rest I don’t like.”

Tadic added:

"

First half I put my shirt and shin pads here, second half when I want to come in, the shirt and shin pads were not there.

It’s a beautiful day. We are really happy.

"

Loser: Louis van Gaal

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After slow but steady improvement over recent weeks and months, defeat to Southampton will not just have been a personal disappointment to Louis van Gaal. Not only did he lose against old enemy Ronald Koeman, but United squandered a great chance to  take a firm grip on third in the league table.

Instead of being four points ahead of their nearest rivals in third, United ended the day just one point inside the Champions League qualification spots. Not only do they have to overcome the Saints all over again, but they now have to contend with the renewed threats of Arsenal, Tottenham and even Liverpool, too.

United were never realistically in the title race, but they did have the opportunity to cement their status as the league's third-best team. Defeat, and particularly the manner of it (failing to manage a single shot on target) serves as a reminder to the self-confident Dutchman that the job is not even half-done just yet.

Afterwards, Van Gaal said, per the Daily Star:

"

The goal, we gave it away. ...

I hope we are improving, because we can still improve. We showed today that we played better at home against Southampton than away, then we won but now we lost.

We can still win the FA Cup and reach the top four, we have a lot to fight for.

"

Winner: The Race for the Champions League

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The result of this game, coupled with those from elsewhere this weekend, means the race for the Champions League qualification spots is closer than ever.

Southampton and United are third and fourth with 39 and 37 points, respectively, but Arsenal are just a point further back in fifth, and Spurs two points beyond that. Even Liverpool, with 32 points, remain firmly in contention.

This result might have been a huge disappointment for United, but it once again made the race for the top four wide open.

As Koeman noted, via Sky Sports:

"

[The win] says a lot about our ambitions and the position we are in the table. Again we showed we can beat the big ones, we had that feeling against Chelsea and more against Arsenal.

The belief was in the team today, that was key for three points.

"