Cavani Inspires Manchester United To 3-2 Win Over Southampton
Edinson Cavani came off the bench to inspire a stunning Manchester United comeback as they turned around a two-goal deficit to secure a superb victory at Southampton.
The 33-year-old Uruguayan striker was a half-time replacement for out-of-sorts Mason Greenwood with Saints two goals up and in control of a fluctuating encounter at St. Mary’s – the veteran turning the tide with a virtuoso display and a brilliant headed double.
James Ward-Prowse was United’s tormentor in that first half, setting up Jan Bednarek’s 23rd-minute header with a corner before floating a magnificent free-kick beyond David de Gea 10 minutes later.
Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who watched his side waste a host of chances and also had to replace the injured De Gea with Dean Henderson at the interval, sent on Cavani to perform the rescue act and the deadline-day signing obliged in spectacular style.
Cavani was a constant threat, setting up Bruno Fernandes to pull one back just on the hour before showing the old instincts remained fully intact to divert the Portuguese midfield man’s deflected shot past the excellent Southampton keeper Alex McCarthy with a diving header, 16 minutes from time.
As the game entered injury time, and with Southampton hanging on desperately for a point, Cavani was the match-winner with a flicked header from Marcus Rashford’s cross to spark wild United celebrations as they recorded eight successive top-flight wins away from home for the first time.
United had not played particularly badly before Cavani’s introduction, they had simply failed to take opportunities that had come their way – Greenwood shooting into the side of an empty net and McCarthy performing heroics within seconds to save from the young striker before recovering brilliantly to block Fernandes.
Once Cavani came on, he was a constant threat and put the previously confident and combative Southampton side on the back foot.
Cavani set up Fernandes to give United a lifeline just before the hour mark, allowing them to play on Southampton’s growing nerves and it looked only a matter of time before he hit the target himself with Saints on the retreat as he had a shot deflected over and flashed a header just wide of the far post.
He showed the class that has decorated his career with goals when he pounced to send Fernandes’ shot past the defiant McCarthy then provided the final flourish with another deft touch with his head in stoppage time to win it.
It was not a flawless Manchester United performance by any means but being on the road certainly seems to suit them and they showed huge resilience, mixed with quality, for the victory that sends them up into seventh in the Premier League table.
