Southampton vs Manchester United Legends LIVE!
A team of Manchester United legends beat Southampton 5-3 at St Mary’s. Saturday’s friendly fixture on the south coast was a special anniversary charity match to mark 50 years since the famous 1976 FA Cup final, when the second-tier Saints stunned heavy favourites United 1-0 at the old Wembley Stadium thanks to a contentious second-half goal from the late Bobby Stokes.
It remains the only major trophy ever won by Southampton and their most famous day. Dimitar Berbatov, Louis Saha and Antonio Valencia were just some of the former United favourites in action, with Saha going off injured early and Berbatov having a penalty saved, while Southampton’s squad list included the likes of player-manager Matt Le Tissier, Francis Benali and Rickie Lambert.
It was an action-packed contest, with substitute Fraizer Campbell and Phil Bardsley both scoring twice for United and Danny Webber also on target in an eight-goal thriller that was level at 1-1 at the interval. Follow Southampton vs Manchester United Legends live below!
Southampton vs Man Utd Legends highlights
Live updates
Southampton 1-0 Man Utd Legends
30 mins: The game has entered a lull as we tick past the half-hour mark at St Mary’s.
Van der Gouw races out to thwart a dangerous-looking Saints attack.
Southampton 1-0 Man Utd Legends
27 mins: Webber feeds Valencia, who gets into the box and is felled by Svensson, who also handballs it.
Two absolute stonewall penalties in one and the referee gives nothing!
Wow. United are furious - and with good reason.
Southampton 1-0 Man Utd Legends
25 mins: Valencia finds Bardsley on the overlap down United’s right flank and his cross loops over Forecast and hits the base of the post!
Southampton break quickly and Lambert’s cross is diverted wide by Surman.
Southampton 1-0 Man Utd Legends
22 mins: That didn’t look good for Saha and he limps off. Such a shame.
United are forced to introduce one of their three outfield substitutes already as Campbell does indeed enter the fray, joining Berbatov in attack.
Southampton 1-0 Man Utd Legends
20 mins: Gibson’s hopeful effort for United is easily saved by Forecast.
Now Saha pulls off a nice turn outside the Southampton box, but his ankle gives way underneath him as he looks to shoot.
He stays down in pain and is actually clutching his right thigh.
An early entrance for Fraizer Campbell?
Southampton 1-0 Man Utd Legends
17 mins: Some of the squad numbers on both sides this afternoon are the same, which is confusing at times.
Good work from Valencia again and United force a couple of corners in quick succession, taken by Bardsley.
Nothing doing, though the first caused problems for Svensson.
GOAL! Southampton 1-0 Man Utd Legends | Lee Barnard 13'
13 mins: Deadlock broken against the run of play at St Mary’s!
Bardsley is in no man’s land as the ball is swept out left by Lambert to Surman, with Barnard then nipping in front of his marker and across goal to steer in the delivery.
Southampton 0-0 Man Utd Legends
12 mins: Wes Brown pulls off a Cruyff turn for United before high-fiving Djemba-Djemba.
Valencia then does brilliantly to get to the byline again and pick out Saha, whose effort is blocked.
Valencia is bang up for this!
Southampton 0-0 Man Utd Legends
11 mins: Lambert’s dangerous cross looking for Barnard at the back post is headed behind by Bardsley.
Van der Gouw claims the resulting corner confidently.
Southampton 0-0 Man Utd Legends
9 mins: No further early chances to speak of at St Mary’s, where Lambert did well to keep a long ball in play inside the United box.
By the way, Saints player-manager Le Tissier is on the bench in trousers and proper shoes.
Will we see him on the pitch at all today?