Manchester United Home Lost 0 – 3
Russell Martin wasn’t kidding when he promised changes for the side chosen to face Manchester United: out from the starting line-up went Hardwood-Bellis, Smallbone, Aribo and Armstrong, replaced by Ugochukwu, Fernandes, Dibling and Archer in front of an orthodox back four. If the potency of the attack was the problem, the move seemed to be having the desired effect, particularly when Sugawara and Dibling linked down the right. Ugochukwu seemed to be following Fernandes around, a theory disproved when the match referee (sorry, I mean Bruno Fernandes) switched sides to shake off his marker who was having an impressive debut. Ugo might actually have scored with a free header and Downes lost his footing when well placed, but these misses were nothing compared with the opportunity that presented itself on the half hour; Dibling tormented Dalot for the umpteenth time giving Saints a penalty entrusted to Archer in the absence of Armstrong. Sadly he was up against Onana whose best moments for both club and country seem to come when facing from the spot and with the kick more Doris than Joffra Archer, the outcome was inevitable… just like the next meaningful action which was a United goal headed in by DeLigt, beating Ramsdale rather too easily. A half in which Saints had played the better football ended even more badly when Rashford beat Ramsdale with a clever shot, leaving the keeper blaming the lack of a block, with some good reason. As the team had been doing pretty well on the whole, it was no surprise that there were no half time alterations but the visitors had shut the door on Dibling and changes were overdue when Russ responded in spades, bringing on four subs at once: Ugochukwu, Dibling, Archer and Díaz off, Lallana, Cornet, Stewart and Fraser on. Mateua Fernandes survived the cull, despite a misleading announcement, but he had to be sacrificed for Hardwood-Bellis on 79 minutes. This was after Stephens was dismissed for serious foul play, although Garnacho seemed more in danger of injury for his resulting twenty yard summersaults than the tackle, bad though it was. That meant only Ramsdale, Walker-Peters, Sugawara, Bednarek and Downes played all of the last two games. Both sides seemed happy with 0-2 as this one wore on but it was not to be as deep into added time Garnacho was freed round the back of Walker-Peters and he drilled his shot into the top of the net.
Three LSSC Man of the Match candidates to choose from:
16. Yukinari Sugawara, but again mostly for his attacking. We might try him in midfield?
26. Lesley Ugochukwu, for an encouraging first half hour.
33. Tyler Dibling, ditto for Ugo.
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