PICTURES

WEBMASTER'S COMMENT

"It took a goal from Dwight Yorke to start a 3-0 win over Southampton, Utd's first win at the Dell in 3 seasons. Good to see Cruyff getting on the score sheet."

MATCH REPORT

By John Curtis, PA Sport

Now Southampton know they really have got problems after this 3-0 home drubbing. Rooted to the bottom of the table with a single point from eight FA Carling Premiership games, their captain sent off at Newcastle, their keeper dismissed at Charlton, two own goals among 21 conceded - now they have even lost at home to Manchester United.

For the past three seasons, the Saints have managed to count on three points from their annual League meeting with United at The Dell. A 3-1 victory on United's `grey day' when they changed their shirts at half-time so their players could see each other clearly was followed by a 6-3 romp and then a 1-0 victory last season.

This time around, however, the Southampton side is a completely different proposition and United easily bounced back from their midweek draw at Bayern Munich to register what were incredibly their first Premiership away goals of the season. Dwight Yorke and Andy Cole were partnered up front from the start for the first time in more than five weeks and they responded with a goal apiece, the England hopeful being probably the more impressive of the duo.

There was even time for Alex Ferguson to give rare run-outs to defender Wes Brown and Dutchman Jordi Cruyff, who scored United's third with 15 minutes left. Sweden's Jesper Blomqvist was in the side alongside Cole, who was last in the starting line-up on August 26 against LKS Lodz, as Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs were injured, while Ray Van Der Gouw replaced Peter Schmeichel in goal.

Yet United must have been relieved that former Old Trafford favourite Mark Hughes, who would surely have tested Gary Neville and Jaap Stam more than youngster Wayne Bridge or Egil Ostenstad, was suspended. Nevertheless, with just one minute gone, Ostenstad found space down the left flank and crossed for David Howells, completely unmarked in the penalty area, to place his header agonisingly wide of the post from 10 yards out.

United, dressed all in black, recovered from that early shock and were never troubled as seriously again. On 11 minutes, they took the lead through Yorke's fifth goal since his £12.6million arrival from Aston Villa as he sneaked in unmarked at the near post to meet a low cross from Blomqvist on the left wing.

With keeper Paul Jones immediately committing himself to save what he expected to be a powerfully-hit shot, Yorke seemed to slip and fall backwards as he took aim and the ball dribbled over the line almost in slow motion. United still had to be alert in defence, with Stam making a couple of important clearances, and Van Der Gouw tipping over a well-struck volley from Howells. But however hard Southampton tried to exert pressure on United, they continued to find themselves vulnerable on the break.

Blomqvist again managed to find Yorke in the area but this time the striker could not flick his stooping header goalwards, while on the stroke of half-time, David Beckham was just inches away with a 25-yard free-kick. After the interval, it seemed a question of time before United increased their advantage as Saints centre-back Claus Lundekvam limped off in pain and captain Roy Keane narrowly hit a drive wide of the post.

Blomqvist was the inspiration for the second goal, jinking his way past two Southampton defenders, before setting up Cole after the England striker had managed to find space on the edge of the penalty area. He steadied himself before picking his spot and calmly beating Jones with a firmly-struck shot that he will hope marks a more regular starting place in the United side.

Southampton did have their half-chances, with appeals for a penalty turned down when they claimed that Phil Neville had handled and Ostenstad heading hopelessly wide when picked out unmarked in the area. Yet after United had brought on Cruyff and Teddy Sheringham for Yorke and Blomqvist midway through the second half, Cruyff took advantage of his rare opportunity.

The Dutchman was in place to volley home the rebound on the turn after keeper Jones had managed to block Cole's goalbound effort. There was still time for Cole to plant a late effort just wide as Southampton were hanging on at the end. Manager Dave Jones seems to have his work cut out to stave off relegation already.

POST MATCH REACTIONS

Manchester United moved ominously up to second place in the Premiership with a comfortable 3-0 victory at Southampton - their first win at the Dell for five years. Yet manager Alex Ferguson admitted that his side had not been at their best after a difficult fortnight in which they have lost at Arsenal, beaten Liverpool and drawn at Bayern Munich.

Having suffered 3-1, 6-3 and 1-0 defeats at Southampton over the past three seasons, United were give the perfect start when Dwight Yorke opened the scoring on 11 minutes with an apparently mis-hit effort from close range.

His recalled strike partner Andy Cole added a wonderful second on 59 minutes after good approach work from Jesper Blomqvist. And substitute Jordi Cruyff finished off the scoring 15 minutes from time with a volley that left the home side rooted to the bottom of the table, with one point from eight games and already seven points from safety.

Ferguson said: "We're very pleased. There's certainly a long season ahead of us but you get the points wherever you can and this is one of those grounds where you just hope that you get points. It was a determined performance but I don't think it was a particularly good performance until the second goal and then we controlled and passed the ball well after that.

"Yet after the fortnight we've had, with the difficult games we've had, I think we've got to be very pleased with the result."

Ferguson was especially pleased with captain Roy Keane, yet also had praise for Yorke and Cole, explaining he brought back the striker for his first start since August 26 to "freshen things up" again after the tiring midweek draw in Munich.

Southampton manager Dave Jones meanwhile refused to even contemplate the threat of relegation. "I'm disappointed but not despondent and I shall keep on battling and fighting. I'm not a worrier, if the sack is going to come then it's going to come, that's the nature of the job," he said. "But we're all still in a positive frame of mind and a result would do us the world of good. There is life in us yet, we just need that break."

He nevertheless warned that the quality players he had brought into the side had to start showing that quality soon.

"We came up against one of the best teams in Europe and for an hour, we gave it a right go, but quality tells in the end," added Jones. "We're our own worst enemies as we allowed them space to counter-attack and one lapse of concentration at the near post for the first goal killed us."

TEAMS

Southampton: Jones, Warner, Benali, Lundekvam, Monkou, Palmer, Le Tissier, Howells, Ripley, Bridge, Ostenstad.
Subs: Gibbens for Lundekvam, Beattie for Ripley.

Manchester United: Van Der Gouw, G Neville, Irwin, Stam, P Neville, Butt, Keane, Beckham, Blomqvist, Yorke, Cole.
Subs: Cruyff for Blomqvist, Sheringham for Yorke, Brown for Irwin.
Scorers: Yorke (11), Cole (59), Cruyff (74)

Referee: D Elleray