Saints ambush Red Devil

Southampton vs. Man U
Venue: St. Mary’s Stadium
Kick off: 4pm

Manchester United travel to St. Mary’s Stadium on Sunday (today), hoping to beat a stuttering Southampton side and keep pace with Premier League leaders, Manchester City, in the process.
With just one victory from five, Ronald Koeman’s men will be keen to register a morale-boosting win and set off on the road to prove that they are not a one-season wonder.
Apart from the tie, Koeman and Louis van Gaal will also renew hostilities.
The tension dates back to their time at Ajax earlier in the century, when coach Koeman accused technical director Van Gaal of interfering with his team.
Suggestions of the hatchet being buried then seemed false when the Southampton boss revealed that his United counterpart twice snubbed a post-match glass of wine last season.
It was a case of honours even last term as both managers recorded one victory apiece, but Southampton – who won 1-0 at Old Trafford earlier this year – have a big task in order to follow up that win at St Mary’s on Sunday after what has proven an indifferent start for the Saints thus far.
This time last year, Koeman, in his first season on the South Coast, lifted Southampton up to second in the table with 10 points from a possible 15.
Fast forward 12 months and the Dutchman’s side now sit 11th with six points.
Having flirted with Champions League qualification for so long last time around, second-season syndrome was a perceived risk for them and, in truth, that risk is becoming more real every week.
They kicked off the 2015-16 season with a 2-2 draw with Newcastle, before Everton thumped them 3-0 at St Mary’s.
A 0-0 draw away to newly-promoted Watford followed, with the Saints then finally getting off the mark with a 3-0 win over Norwich City.
It proved a false down of sorts, however, as another 0-0 stalemate at West Bromwich Albion followed after the international break. Koeman’s side are yet to suggest that their hugely encouraging 2014-15 campaign was anything other than a fluke, but a win over the Red Devils and old enemy Van Gaal may be the kick-start that they need.
It is not beyond the realms of possibility that third-placed Manchester United will be eight points behind City by the time their clash with Southampton gets underway on Sunday. Only a win will do for Van Gaal and co.

Southampton possible starting lineup: Stekelenburg; Soares, Fonte, van Dijk, Targett; Wanyama, Ward-Prowse, S. Davis, Mane, Tadic; Pelle.
Manchester United possible starting lineup: De Gea; Darmian, Smalling, Rojo, Blind; Carrick, Schneiderlin; Mata, Herrera, Memphis; Rooney.