SUPER Eagles midfielder Joe Aribo did not get on the pitch for Southampton for the first time in the English Premier League this season as his Southampton side were beaten 3-0 at home today by Manchester United.
The Nigeria international was on the sidelines ready to come on as a late substitute when defender Jack Stephens was given a red card for a dangerous tackle on Alejandro Garnacho.
With the Saints down to 10 men, they needed defensive reinforcement and coach Russel Martin changed his mind, bringing on Taylor Harwood-Bellis instead of Aribo in the 81st minute.
Aribo had started all of Southampton’s first three Premier League games of the season.
The damage was done to the Saints before the red card, with Matthijs de Ligt scoring his first goal for Manchester United and Marcus Rashford ending a five-month drought as Erik ten Hag’s side took a 2-0 lead into the break.
Substitute Garnacho completed the win in added time as United bounced back from their 3-0 home defeat to Liverpool before the international break.
It could have gone differently for Southampton as they sought their first points of the season.
The home side, spurred on by a full house at St Mary’s, played United off the park in the first 25 minutes and earned a penalty when Diogo Dalot fouled the impressive youngster Tyler Dibling.
Tyler Archer took the spot kick in the 33rd minute but his poor attempt was easily saved by Andre Onana.
The save brought Manchester United back to life and they went ahead two minutes afterwards, De Ligt heading home from Bruno Fernandes’ delivery.
Rashford extended the visitors’ lead four minutes before half-time with a low shot through a crowded Southampton box, his first goal in 189 days.
Garnacho, who was booed by Southampton fans for the red card to Stephens, wrapped it up for United in the sixth minute of stoppage time, blasting the ball into the roof of the net from Dalot’s cutback.
