The Top Flight
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Manchester United edge past Southampton in a five-goal thriller

By Mukhtar Muktar

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - MARCH 02: Romelu Lukaku of Manchester United celebrates after scoring his team's third goal during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Southampton FC at Old Trafford on March 02, 2019 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - MARCH 02: Romelu Lukaku of Manchester United celebrates after scoring his team's third goal during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Southampton FC at Old Trafford on March 02, 2019 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images) /
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Manchester United won in a five-goal thriller against Southampton thanks to a brace from Romelu Lukaku and a screamer from Andreas Perreira to maintain their hopes of finishing top 4 this season.

Manchester United started the match brightly, within the first six minutes Angus Gunn had to make three saves against Lukaku and Perreira to make sure the scores still read 0-0.

Gunn’s saves seem to boost the Saint’s morale and after 26 minutes of play in the first half, Charlie Austin found Yan Valery, who took a couple of steps before unleashing a ferocious strike that beat the De Gea to give the Saints a one-goal lead against the hosts. It was the first senior goal for Valery in English football and he couldn’t have wished for a better way to open his scoring account for the Saints.

United managed to create more chances with Lukaku and Smalling guilty of squandering good chances at the end of the first half, allowing the Saints to go into the interval with a one-goal lead.

The second half was more of the same

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Early in the second half, Alexis Sanchez added to the injury woes of the injury crisis and was duly substituted for Dalot, who made an instant impact on the game. He made a run and set up Andreas Perreira, who curled a beautiful shot past Gunn to equalize.

A few minutes later Perreira set up Lukaku, who cut in on his right foot and shot past Gunn to make it 2-1 for the host this time. United failed to increase their lead before Ward-Prowse curled a beautiful free-kick beyond United’s wall, and into the back of the net to make the scoreline even again at 2-2.

As the two sides battled for a winner in the final minutes remaining, Romelu Lukaku curled a right footed shot at the edge of the post into the Saints net to give United a 3-2 lead. Still, in the added time there was drama left with Rashford brought down inside the penalty area and Gunn saved the resulting penalty kick from Paul Pogba.

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What do the results mean for both teams?

Man United climb back into the top 4 after the North London derby finished as a draw. They are currently a point ahead of Arsenal in 5th place and 3 points below Spurs, who are 3rd in the league table standings.

Southampton is currently 17th in the league standings, 2 points clear of safety.

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