Manchester United vs Southampton, Live Score and Commentary, EFL Cup Final 2016-17

PEEP! PEEP! PEEEP!

MANCHESTER UNITED WILL LIFT THE EFL TROPHY AFTER A SCRAPPY, UGLY, BUT TREMENDOUSLY ENTERTAINING 3-2 VICTORY OVER A BRILLIANT SOUTHAMPTON OUTFIT.

The Saints were palpably the better side for 90% of the game, but in the remaining 10% United scored thrice thanks to the sublime genius of Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

The Swede wins yet another trophy, Mourinho wins yet another cup... although I doubt either have ever been outplayed so thoroughly before.

Well played Saints, and Ward-Prowse and Redmond were terrific all night. Meanwhile, Manolo Gabbiadini IS THE REAL DEAL.

A superb match, thoroughly enjoyable to cover and thank you for the company

Anirudh Menon signing out.

Toodle-ooo

94' Cedric lifts a teasing ball in that Long cushions for Bertrand. His whack is straight at Bailly, and an agricultural hoof from Herrera allows Zlatan to chase the ball, and win a brilliant foul off Romeu. All these years in the business has taught the man more than his fair share of tricks.

93' Pogba wins a smart foul, as United eat into the seconds. The ball is lumped forward, but Saints recover.

92' Pogba tries to slip in Rashford, but the ball is rubbish and Saints have the ball back. Central Defensive Midfielder extraordinaire Zlatan Ibrahimovic hoofs it clear.

91' Valencia beasts past Bertrand, but his touch carries the ball out. Southampton look utterly stunned at the moment.

90' FOUR MINUTES OF ADDED TIME!

89' Zlatan gets penalised for an over-zealous challenge on Davis. Millions of hearts skip a beat as Fellaini lumbers (that's how trees move, yes?) for Martial.

Oh Wow. It was all Zlatan. After clearing that corner, he ran forward to receive a Pogba pass before holding the ball and moving it to Rashford. The young man does well to hold up play and waits for Herrera to overlap. The Basque curls a lovely little ball and Zlatan peels off Stephens and hammers a header home. Unsaveable. Lovely goal, that.

86' ZLATAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN! GOOOOOOOOOOALLL!!! ZLAAAAAAAAAAAATAN!!!

85' The corner comes to nothing, Bertrand powers forward and the ball misses Shane Long by the proverbial whisker. Ward-Prowse does well to win a corner - and Stephens looping header is cleared in front of the goal by Zlatan.

84' Long almost runs onto a silly Herrera back-pass, but De Gea smacks it clear. Pogba floats it ahead to Zlatan.. who holds the ball up and releases Rashford. With no one in the box, the Englishman smacks a shot off Forster for a corner.

83' Ward-Prowse swings in another lovely peach of a set-piece; but the ball is ushered out for a throw in. Puel takes the opportunity to take off Gabbiadini (WHY!) and bring on Shane Long.

82' Redmond races at a backtracking United defence, before he cuts in whacks it at goal. It's deflected out for a corner.

81' Pogba releases Valencia with a peach of a sixty-yarder, but the Ecuadorian's cross is too iffy for anyone, and Saints move forward.

80' Rojo makes another mistake and gifts the ball to Soares. He moves it Boufal, but his run is put to an end by an uncompromising Smalling tackle.

78' The ball is moved on to Pogba who does brilliantly to shrug off the attentions of three Saints men and switches the ball to Valencia. The Ecuadorian bombards forward, and lifts one to Zlatan - who is miles offside.

77' Boufal weaves forward, but a heavy touch allows Smalling to clear. Southampton have the ball still, till Redmond plays the ball to Martial...

76' Substitutions for both teams as Rashford comes on for Lingard and Boufal comes on for Tadic. Exciting changes both.

75' Saints are being pegged here! They exchange passes in quick succession before Valencia switches play to Martial. The Frenchman lifts it in and LINGARD SWIPES AT IT! It's into row Z from five yards

74' Pogba and Zlatan have turned it on and win a corner after exchanging some superb one-touch passes. Herrera's corner fiies all the way out to Herrera, and United have to build again.

73' That's a poor kick from Ibrahimovic as he hammers it at the wall. United are growing into the game, finally

72' Ward-Prowse is slipped in again behind Rojo - the Argentine is having a nightmare - but the winger's cutback is behind Gabbiadini and Smalling clears. Pogba races forward and wins a freekick in Zlatan territory

71' Pogba wins a free kick in a dangerous position.. Herrera places it to Carrick but the veteran Englishman's shot is weak. Saints clear - a correction to my earlier comment, it was Yoshida's desperately brilliant tackle that kept Lingard out.

70' UFF! MARTIAL DOES WHAT MARTIAL DOES BEST BY TAKING ON AND GHOSTING PAST THREE SAINTS DEFENDERS. He passes it to Lingard, but Forster clears well.

69' Bertrand gives away a cheap freekick on Pogba, and United can move forward.

68' Ward-Prowse is legitimately the next David Beckham. He swings in yet another lovely ball from the set-piece, but Bailly and Smalling do well to clear.

66' Zlatan gets the ball, and runs at Yoshida, but the Japanese does superbly to stand his ground.... Davis then moves upfield and wins a smart free kick off Carrick

65' Pogba and Martial try to make something happen, but they get closed down with rabid intensity. Pogba does brilliantly well to nick the ball off Davis... but in the end Southampton relieves the pressure with a throw-in

64' OH MY! OH MY! Romeu whacks the face of the post from another brilliant Ward-Prowse corner. UFF! De Gea was stranded there!! I cannot remember the last time United were outplayed so comprehensively this season... even in that 4-0 hammering at Stamford Bridge.

63' Southampton are slitting United open with the skill of a professional Assassin. Davis plays in Soares with a delectable ball but the fullbacks cross is inches away from a sliding Bertrand.

62' Martial shows he still has some fire in him by running back and holding off a rampant Ward-Prowse.

60' Herrera gets whacked in the face by Romeu's flailing elbow - and is even more infuriated when Southampton's hard man doesn't pick up his second yellow. Carrick then proceeds to smack the ball into the hands of Forster. Even Carrick!

58' OW OW Zlatan!! Forster is harried into clearance and passes it straight to Martial. The Frenchman lays it off to Zlatan, but the Swede's effort is saved. The ball breaks to Valencia who swings a teasing cross in.... only for Martial and Pogba to get in each other's way and neither take a swipe at it!

57' Southampton are stroking the ball around now, and United are keeping their distance - why, only they know.

56' Redmond gets into the book for standing on the foot of Michael Carrick. Forget the danger, that's downright disrespectful - Carrick is a pensioner!!!

55' This is so static from United, I could swear Van Gaal is sitting on the bench and taking down notes. If looks could kill, there would be 9 dead United midfielders on that pristine Wembley pitch. The two remaining Spaniards being the sole survivors.

53' Mourinho is going to spontaneously combust any moment. His team try to calm things down by passing the ball harmlessly around the middle of the park. Martial decides to up the tempo, but he can't keep the ball under his spell and Stephens hammers it clear.

51' If United were on the ropes at Half-time, they are on the mat here and getting pounded into oblivion. They get a breather when Davis pulls up with a slight niggle. He's fine - luckily for Puel...

50' Southampton are all over United here. Oh my lord, what are United doing? Redmond runs at Herrera before slipping in Gabbiadini. The Italian's shot is blocked by Rojo. It's clipped back in and Bailly has to head it away under extreme pressure.

Southampton deservedly level!

OH MY GOOD LORD. WHAT A WONDERFUL PLAYER THIS ITALIAN IS. Gabbiadini gets the ball after it pinballs around the box before he unleashes a lovely turn and shoot in one swift, graceful movement.

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOALL!!! GABBIADINI!!!!!

47' Southampton win a corner, yet again, Ward-Prowse swings it in, Stephens wins the header.... the ball breaks to Redmond who hammers the ball at De Gea!!! From yet another corner......

46' Recognising the need for midfield control, Mourinho has thrown in Carrick, and United are pressing with a touch more intensity

PEEP! WE'RE OFF AGAIN!

Michael Carrick is on - for Juan Mata from the looks of it.

PEEP! PEEP! HALFTIME!

Somehow Manchester United lead Southampton by two goals to one. Mourinho storms off with a look that could positively kill. I would not want to be a United player during this halftime talk.

Claude Puel must be wondering what a cruel mistress football is - his advice to his players would be to just keep at it. They have United on the ropes.

47' Martial and Lingard exchange useless passes...

Boy, how Saints have deserved this goal. Ward-Prowse rips Rojo apart, yet again, before squaring the ball into the six-yard box. Gabbiadini ghosts past Bailly and places an immaculate finish through the legs of De Gea.

46' GOOOOOOOOOOOALL!! GABBIADINIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!

45' Pogba sends Romeu to an early retirement home with a balletic twirl of ethereal grace, but the move breaks down.