Van Persie double shoots United up to third

Premier League

A fifth successive win that moved his Manchester United team up to third place and a personal triumph over rival Ronald Koeman, should have marked a memorable evening for Louis Van Gaal. Yet, while the United manager will certainly consider his trip to St Mary’s Stadium to have been a success, this could hardly be described as a job well done.

Victory was achieved through two pieces of instinctive finishing by Robin Van Persie, either side of Graziano Pelle’s 10th goal of the season, and a combination of good fortune and wasteful Southampton finishing. If Van Gaal needed any reminders his side remains a work in progress, it came in the first half hour here.