“Fooled the media”, “Man so promising” - Manchester United fans thrilled by display from 25-year-old in 3-0 win over Southampton

Manchester United fans are thrilled with 25-year-old defender Matthijs de Ligt's performance in their 3-0 win over Southampton. It was a remarkable defensive masterclass from the former Bayern Munich defender, as he led the Red Devils to all three points at St. Mary Stadium on Saturday, September 14.

Easily the man of the match, the Netherlands international was brilliant in keeping a clean sheet for the Red Devils. He won six duels in total, winning everything in the air. He was also intuitive, clearing a ball off the line, alongside a total of six clearances.

The defender was also a force in attack, as he scored Manchester United's first goal from a corner routine. His overall performance was sublime, as he hardly put a foot wrong throughout. After the game, fans were quick to praise De Ligt with posts like these:

"Love the guy and I hope this is the beginning of a great career at Old Trafford!" one fan shared.

"De Ligt‘s response to the haters😮‍💨," another said about the performance.

"De ligt is class btw. Finally licha has a reliable cb to play with," claimed one fan.

"Matthis de Ligt putting in a VERY SOLID defensive performance and then getting a VERY IMPORTANT goal to put us ahead. LET YOUR APOLOGIES BE LOUD AS YOUR DISRESPECT!!! ❤️," wrote an excited fan.

"Man so promising 👏🏻❤️🥺," another claimed.

"Whoever thought his acquisition was a mistake must be high on something," noted one fan.

"De ligt fooled the media on international duty and dropped a 10/10 defensive performance in his first match back. What a player," commented one fan.

"🚨📸 - Matthijs de Ligt wins the player of the match award!! MENTALITY MONSTER!! 😍🔥," wrote one fan.

"De Ligt is undoubtedly one of the best defenders right now," another fan commented.

"Give De Ligt MOTM. He saw Antony coming on and faked an injury to save us all from him. He might even need a new contract for that," a fan mocked.

Here are some more reactions:

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Manchester United beat Southampton 3-0 away from home

Manchester United picked up all three points when they faced Southampton at St. Mary's Stadium, with the Red Devils putting three past the newly promoted side. The Saints started well, threatening constantly and even winning a penalty. However, Cameron Archer missed his effort and his side failed to keep control of the game.

The Saints would go on to rue the missed chance, as the Red Devils turned things around. Matthijs de Ligt scored the first goal for Manchester United from a corner routine in the 35th minute. Marcus Rashford followed it up with another goal from another corner in the 41st minute.

Late in injury time of the second half, Alejandro Garnacho scored the final goal of the game to seal the three points. The Saints notably had just six shots throughout the game, with four on target. Manchester United had 20 shots, with ten on target.

The Red Devils also held much of the possession with 56% while the Saints had just 44%. United also enjoyed better passing, making a total of 550 (91% accuracy) while Southampton had 405 passes (87% accuracy).