Magnificent Anthony Martial helps Louis van Gaal's side come from behind at St Mary's
- Southampton 2-3 Manchester United: CLICK HERE to follow how it all happened
- Graziano Pelle put the hosts ahead inside 13 minutes when he fired home after Sadio Mane's initial shot was saved
- Before half-time, Anthony Martial netted his second Premier League goal in as many games for Manchester United
- Martial netted again shortly after the break, slotting past Maarten Stekelenburg after an error from Maya Yoshida
- Juan Mata added a third for United, firing into an empty net after Memphis Depay's shot rebounded back off the post
- There was a late scare for United when Pelle headed home for his second of the game, but they held on for the win
- Louis van Gaal's side move up to second in the Premier League, two points behind rivals Manchester City
As Anthony Martial's second goal nestled into the bottom corner, £58million did not seem like such a bad deal.
In just 75 minutes of Barclays Premier League football for Manchester United, Martial had scored three, the same amount as Wayne Rooney has managed in the last seven months.
After his first on debut against Liverpool, the teenager wiped out Graziano Pelle's opener, just before half-time at Southampton, and then put the visitors ahead soon after the restart.
MATCH FACTS, PLAYER RATINGS, PREMIER LEAGUE TABLE AND MATCH ZONE FROM ST MARY'S'What a waste of money,' sang United supporters, and even Saints fans applauded Martial in the closing minutes when he stopped to help Virgil van Dijk cope with his cramp.
- Southampton (4-2-3-1): Stekelenburg 6; Yoshida 4.5, Fonte 5.5, van Dijk 5.5, Targett 6 (Martina 46 6); Romeu 6 (S Davis 56 6), Wanyama 6; Ward-Prowse 6 (Long 76 6), Tadić 6, Mané 6; Pellè 7.5
- Subs not used: Davis (GK), Soares, Rodriguez, Juanmi
- Goals: Pelle 13, 86
- Booked: Fonte, Van Dijk
- Manchester United (4-2-3-1): De Gea 8; Darmian 5.5 (Valencia 46 6), Smalling 6.5, Blind 5, Rojo 6 (McNair 69 6); Carrick 6 (Schweinsteiger 60 6), Schneiderlin 6; Mata 7.5, Rooney 6, Depay 7.5; Martial 8.5
- Subs not used: Romero (GK), Young, Herrera, Fellaini
- Goals: Martial 34, 50, Mata 68
- Referee: Mark Clattenburg 7
- Attendance: 31,588
- Man of the Match: Anthony Martial
Juan Mata smashed in a third and United eased to within two points of Manchester City at the top of the table.
Mata's goal was the final touch in a sequence of 45 passes by Louis van Gaal's team.
United were in complete control by this stage and enjoying the sea air by the Solent - but it had not been plain sailing.
Southampton had started well and might have been more goals ahead by the time Martial burst into the game.
David de Gea was also required to make two fabulous saves: the first a reaction save to prevent Jose Fonte from levelling at 2-2 and the second at full stretch from Victor Wanyama in stoppage-time.
Saints managed a strong finish. Pelle headed in his second of the game with five minutes remaining.
But, United held on, and with De Gea back in goal and Martial providing a clinical edge up front, they suddenly have a pleasing balance.
Rooney's drought in the Premier League was extended to 11 games, but there is encouragement for Van Gaal when there was very little after their defeat at Swansea, last month.
Ronald Koeman had hinted that he would target Daley Blind as a defensive weakness and United were vulnerable on their left side during the game's opening phase.
Marcos Rojo was starting his first game of the season and Pelle tried to pull onto Blind and exert his power in the air.
Together with the pace of Sadio Mane and excellent delivery from wide areas by Dusan Tadic and James Ward-Prowse, it proved an early problem for the visitors.
Pelle opened the scoring after 13 minutes, when Rojo stood back and allowed Ward-Prowse time to swing over a cross from the right.
Mane must have thought he had scored when he arrived at great speed and met the ball with a firm volley, but De Gea stuck out his right hand and beat it out, only for Pelle to sweep in the rebound.
Southampton, despite scoring only twice in their previous six Premier League games, were in control and might have extended their lead.
Pelle hit a post after turning past Blind and De Gea denied Ward-Prowse. Referee Mark Clattenburg rejected a penalty appeal when Ward-Prowse claimed to have been tripped by Rojo and another Pelle effort was well blocked by Blind.
United summoned very little in response. Martial and Memphis Depay were both wildly off target from good opportunities, but the visitors accepted a slice of good fortune to draw level before the interval.
Southampton thought they have cleared the danger once, only for Morgan Schneiderlin, back at St Mary's for the first time since his £27million summer transfer, to send a looping header straight back into the penalty area.
Juan Mata was a yard offside but there was no flag as he attempted to gather the ball and was challenged by Maya Yoshida.
The tackle by Yoshida prodded the ball to Martial, who twisted inside Van Dijk and drove a low finish past Saints goalkeeper, and his former Monaco team-mate, Maarten Stekelenburg.
It was a second in two appearances for the teenager, and the third came five minutes into the second-half.
Like the first, it came courtesy of an unwitting assist from Yoshida. An attempted back-pass was left short by the Japanese defender and Martial pounced, curling another low shot past Stekelenburg.
The package for Martial will cost United another £7.2m when he scores 25 goals. At this rate, it will not be long. No-one at Old Trafford will begrudge the money.
De Gea protected the lead with a splendid save to thwart Fonte from a corner by Tadic, and Mata made it 3-1 after Depay's shot had rebounded his way after hitting a post.
Pelle headed in a Mane cross in the 85th minute and Manchester United went home with the points.
Michael Carrick (right) dispossesses Southampton's Dusan Tadic during a close first half which finished with the scores level at 1-1
