RvP fires United to victory at Southampton

RvP grabbed a brace to earn United the three points

Manchester United move up to third in the Premier League after a Robin van Persie brace handed them a fortunate 2-1 win at Southampton.

The game was billed as a grudge match between fellow Dutchmen Ronald Koeman of Southampton and Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal.

It was Van Gaal who came out on top, for their fifth successive win, but they managed it with only three attempts at goal all game, while the Saints will feel unfortunate to come away with nothing for a third game in a row.

Graziano Pelle ended his six-game wait for a goal to cancel out Van Persie's first but they just couldn't convert their chances throughout the remainder of the game to get something from it.

United now move up to 28 points and are eight adrift of league leaders Chelsea, while the Saints have slipped down to fifth on 26 points.

After a bright opening 10 minutes for Southampton they handed United a goal out of nothing on a plate.

Jose Fonte's shocking back-pass was put into the path of Van Persie and he gratefully accepted the gift as he advanced into the left side of the area before slipping his effort beyond Fraser Forster and into the far corner of the net.

The Saints reacted positively to falling behind but it took them 27 minutes to test David de Gea with Pelle's low strike from the left of the box well held by the Spanish custodian.

However they did level on 31 minutes when Steven Davis took advantage of Marouane Fellaini's slack play in the midfield and broke at goal.

He lost possession but Shane Long picked up the ball down the right and teed up Dusan Tadic whose shot was blocked, but Pelle was on hand to rifle the rebound high into the net from close range.

Long should have done better moments later when Paddy McNair's sloppy attempted clearance from a Sadio Mane knockdown fell to him down the right but he fired his angled effort over the bar.

It was the final straw for Van Gaal who opted to substitute the nervy-looking young defender minutes later and replaced him with Ander Herrara.

United managed one flowing move in stoppage time at the end of the half, but Van Persie's effort at the end of it rattled into the side-netting from the edge of the box.

An expected reaction from United after the break failed to materialise as Southampton again went close through Long on 52 minutes when he met a Tadic cross at the back post but sent a header straight at De Gea who parried it away before United cleared their lines.

Tadic pounced on some more sloppy play by the Red Devils inside their own half on 61 minutes and then picked out Pelle in the area but he fired a rising effort just over the bar.

Saints were made to pay for their profligacy on 71 minutes when a free kick from wide out on the left was floated towards the back post by Wayne Rooney and Van Persie showed great technique to guide the ball past Forster from a tight angle with the outside of his left foot.

The hosts tried to get back into the contest for a second time but they could not find a way past United's defence which improved as the game wore on.

The one time they did get a sniff of goal Pelle's fierce drive from the left of the area was tipped away past the far post by De Gea.