Southampton held at home by Man United




Southampton's Tino Livramento, left, and Manchester United's Luke Shaw during their English Premier League soccer match at St. Mary's Stadium in Southampton, England, Sunday Aug. 22, 2021. (Andrew Matthews/PA via AP)
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SOUTHAMPTON, England (AP) — Mason Greenwood sealed Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side a hard-fought point in a 1-1 draw at Southampton on Sunday as Manchester United equaled the top flight’s longest unbeaten away record.

The first match in front of a full St. Mary’s crowd in almost 18 months also saw these sides meet for the first time since Ralph Hasenhuttl’s men conceded nine goals without reply at Old Trafford in February.

There was no further humiliation on Sunday as Saints put in a promising performance, taking the lead when Che Adams’ strike deflected in off Fred before Greenwood secured a draw and United’s place in the history books.

Solskjaer’s side went the whole of last season without losing a league game on the road and this result on the south coast took its unbeaten league away run to 27 matches, putting it level with Arsenal in 2003-04.

Saints threatened to stop that run on Sunday and went into halftime ahead, having stood firm during a strong start by the visitors before Adams ended a fine team move with a strike from the edge of the box that went in off Fred.

United should have been in front before that and had somehow failed to score seven minutes in.

Harry Maguire and Paul Pogba strained to reach Bruno Fernandes’ set piece, with the ball looping onto the bar before Mohammed Salisu blocked Anthony Martial’s headed follow-up and impressive teenager Tino Livramento cleared.

Greenwood dragged wide from distance and Salisu blocked Pogba’s strike as the visitors continued strongly, with the France midfielder then heading over Luke Shaw’s free kick.

But it was the home side which took the lead in the 30th minute. Fernandes was furious, having felt he was fouled on the right by Jack Stephens, who left the Portuguese in a heap and continued to fizz across to Moussa Djenepo. The winger’s first-time ball was smartly flicked on by Adam Armstrong to Adams, who took a couple of touches and struck home from 20 yards via a deflection off Fred.

Fernandes was booked for his protests with the officials after the goal and Saints threatened a second, with Livramento superbly bursting down the right only to just over-hit a cross.

United leveled in the 55th as Pogba poked a ball from Fernandes on to Greenwood, whose shot beat Alex McCarthy and found the back of the net in front of the raucous traveling support.

Jadon Sancho replaced Anthony Martial and Pogba was soon teasing the Southampton defense before hitting a left-footed shot just across the face of goal.

Greenwood headed onto the roof of the net and McCarthy produced an unorthodox save to deny Fernandes’ header.

Until that point David De Gea had precious little to do but came to the rescue in the 73rd. James Ward-Prowse took the ball off Maguire, and Adams threaded through Armstrong to get a shot on goal.

Southampton ended the match on top to earn a deserved point.