---
title: "Player Ratings: Manchester United 2-0 Southampton"
canonical: "https://readmanutd.com/2016/08/19/player-ratings-manchester-united-2-0-southampton/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
section: "Man Utd Match Reports"
published: "2016-08-19T21:42:28Z"
modified: "2016-08-19T21:42:28Z"
---

# Player Ratings: Manchester United 2-0 Southampton

Manchester United returned to Old Trafford to make it two wins out of two with a comfortable and assured display against [Southampton.](https://readsouthampton.com/)

All eyes were on Paul Pogba tonight and rightfully so as the Frenchman made his long-awaited return to Manchester United after signing on a new world record fee and he managed to get the full 90 minutes under his belt.

Southampton started the game well by seeing a lot of the ball, but they didn’t worry United’s defence too often, which was a theme for the Saints throughout the game. United’s control grew quickly though as they managed to find a lot of space for United to exploit, but the final pass didn’t seem to be there in the first 20 minutes, but as the game grew on United continued to look more dangerous in attack.

United opened the scoring 10 minutes before half-time after Antonio Valencia slipped through Wayne Rooney on the right, who had bags of time to pick out a cross which was emphatically met by Ibrahimovic with a superb header to put United in the lead.

The second half was all United as they again controlled proceedings. A daft Jordie Clasie trip on Luke Shaw gave United a penalty and it was Ibrahimovic to start the season as chief penalty taker and he, unsurprisingly, tucked it again in composed fashion to score his third in two Premier League games.

United continued to make chances in the game and saw it out in comfortable, Mourinho-esque fashion with astute defending. A lot of good performances across the pitch too as things are starting to look greatly improved in the red-half of Manchester.

Here are our player ratings: