Chris Wilder's woes continue as Southampton cruise to victory

[ASFN Admin]

It looked straightforward on paper: a resurgent Southampton, balanced in all areas and beaten only once since September against a Sheffield United who are already beginning to be cut adrift. So it proved on grass, although United have surely not turned in a more inept performance since their elevation and Southampton were dogged when they needed to be. Enduring the second season in the Premier League that was predicted for his first, Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder turned to the comfort blanket of experience. Phil Jagielka, 38, made his first Premier League appearance of the season, while Billy Sharp, a pup of 34, was recalled to add physicality to a chance-spurning attack. Southampton, meanwhile, could hardly have been in a better place. Danny Ings’s knee injury had finally cleared and the expected victory would have taken them to third place, at least until Leicester entertained Brighton in the evening fixture. The opening period encapsulated almost all United’s ills. Their defence – once a springboard to offence – was so hemmed in that their wing-backs were merely backs, while their midfield trio were stoppers rather than creators. Wholly dominant, Southampton bubbled rather than fizzed. Aaron Ramsdale saved smartly from Ings after erstwhile United forward Che Adams’s beautifully judged through ball, but the home side were ahead soon enough. Jagielka half-cleared James Ward-Prowse’s free kick, but only as far as the leaping Jan Bednarek’s shoulder. The ball looped towards goal and, as John Egan belatedly sensed peril, Adams stole in to carefully guide the ball past Ramsdale. Wilder replaced both strikers before the hour and United were briefly less cowed, but when Southampton flexed their muscles they scored again. Not for the first time, Oriol Romeu broke down a United sortie. Stuart Armstrong switched passes with Ings before shooting low and hard. As Ramsdale dived to his left, Jagielka inadvertently deflected it to the goalkeeper’s right. There would be no magical comeback for United. Instead, their heads went down, and Southampton pressed harder still. Ward-Prowse went close with a free kick, Ramsdale saved smartly from Ings, but third was inevitable. Ward-Prowse’s free kick eluded everyone on its way to the far post. Nathan Redmond exchanged sweet passes with Romeu, cut in and curled his first goal at St Mary’s since May 2019 past Ramsdale. Sounds easy? It was: much too easy.

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