United held by 10-man Southampton

Jannik Vestergaard earns Saints a point at St Mary’s

Southampton’s Jannik Vestergaard celebrates with Danny Ings after scoring the equaliser against Manchester United at St Mary’s. Photograph: EPA
Southampton’s Jannik Vestergaard celebrates with Danny Ings after scoring the equaliser against Manchester United at St Mary’s. Photograph: EPA

Southampton 1 Manchester United 1

Manchester United's patchy start to the Premier League season continued with a 1-1 draw at 10-man Southampton after a Jannik Vestergaard header cancelled out a brilliant Daniel James goal for the visitors on Saturday.

The result left United on five points from four games after last weekend’s shock 2-1 home defeat by Crystal Palace while Southampton, who stretched their winless league streak at home against United to nine games, have four points.

Wales winger James, signed from Swansea City during the close season, netted the third goal of his fledgling United career when he beat Angus Gunn with a 10th-minute rocket into the top corner which gave the Saints keeper no chance.

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The visitors dominated the opening half and livewire James forced a reflex save from Gunn with another piledriver from 20 metres midway through the first half after Marcus Rashford had headed well wide from close range.

But United faded after the break and Vestergaard equalised in the 58th minute when he rose above Victor Lindelof to head home emphatically a Kevin Danso cross from the right after visiting keeper David De Gea had saved a Danny Ings effort.

The home side were forced to hang on in the closing stages after Danso was sent off in the 73rd minute for a second bookable foul when he hacked down Scott McTominay, with Gunn denying Rashford and substitute Mason Greenwood.