Southampton vs Manchester United: How Saints changed the course of Red Devils’ history with Sir Alex Ferguson
Southampton host Manchester United on Saturday, LIVE on talkSPORT.
There have been memorable games between the two clubs, with United narrowly getting the better of the Saints in the EFL Cup final in 2017.
Southampton had come back from two goals down to stun the Red Devils, but Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s 87th-minute header won it for Jose Mourinho’s men.
It was more silverware to put in the club’s jam-packed trophy cabinet after years of success during Sir Alex Ferguson’s reign.
Below, talkSPORT.com explains how Southampton played a pivotal role in Ferguson’s arrival at Old Trafford.
Manchester United manager Ron Atkinson’s job was under serious pressure after failing to win the Division One title during the 1985/86 campaign, despite winning their first 10 games of the season.
The Red Devils finished fourth behind West Ham, Everton and winners Liverpool.
Knowing he needed to get off to a solid start in the 1986/87 season, United won just one of their first nine matches, suffering defeats to Arsenal, Chelsea , West Ham, Charlton, Watford and Everton.
The horrendous run of form saw Atkinson’s men joint-bottom of the table. Results did pick up, though, with wins over Luton and Sheffield Wednesday.
The League Cup, known then as the Littlewoods Challenge Cup, presented a chance for Atkinson to add to his two FA Cup winners’ medals with United.
A third round home tie against Southampton, who would go on to finish in a comfortable mid-table position later that season, made United favourites to progress.
However, they were held to a goalless draw and forced to play a third round replay at the Dell, Southampton’s old ground.
Another disappointing home draw occurred, this time in the league, against Coventry before the midweek clash at Southampton on November 4.
At this point, one bad result would have been the end for Atkinson – and it proved to be.
United were dominated by a Southampton side who took full advantage of a team lacking confidence.
George Lawrence opened the scoring, before Danny Wallace doubled the Saints’ advantage.
And it got worse for United when 18-year-old Matt Le Tissier came off the bench to score his first goals for the club as he completed a brace.
United forward Peter Davenport scored a consolation goal, which would have meant nothing to Atkinson, whose fate had been sealed.
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Just two days later, he was relieved of his duties and replaced by Ferguson, who had been working miracles with Aberdeen by brushing off competition from Rangers and Celtic to win top-flight titles in Scotland.
And Ferguson ended United’s 26-year wait for top-flight glory by winning the inaugural Premier League, known then as the Premiership, title in the 1992/93 season.
The Scot would go on to win 12 more titles in England, along with two Champions League trophies, four League Cups and five FA Cups.
Ferguson retired in May 2013 after 27 years in Manchester, and will go down as one of the greatest managers of all time.
And it could be argued that United’s embarrassing defeat to Southampton in 1986 set the wheels in motion for Ferguson’s arrival in England.
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