With Manchester United finally starting to get their form turned around and trying to close in on the top four again, they need another win to keep things rolling in the right direction. With a match at home, that should be a fairly straightforward proposition -- but not if Southampton have anything to say about it.
Manchester United vs. Southampton 2016 live stream: Time, TV schedule and how to watch online
Both teams are turning around their form, which should lead to a close battle at Old Trafford.
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The Saints have been recovering from their own woeful run of form of late, with two straight wins to get them rolling again. They’ll be worried about having to face the extremely mercurial Manchester at Old Trafford, though -- Southampton have lost four straight matches away from home. Manchester’s recent home form is just decent, though, with only two wins in their last six matches at the Theater of Dreams. That might give Southampton the opening they need to stop that road losing skid -- and for their manager Ronald Koeman, the chance to get one over on his countryman Louis Van Gall will make for a wonderful incentive.
Key player -- Shane Long (Southampton)
Long’s hard-working style has been vital for Southampton, and his never-stopping motor could prove problematic for Manchester’s defense. His ability to keep poking and prodding and hunting and frustrating is not one that Daley Blind or Chris Smalling have often done well with, so this could be an opportunity for Long to have an explosive performance in front of goal.
Key matchup -- Ander Herrera (Manchester United) vs. James Ward-Prowse (Southampton)
Ward-Prowse has been an increasingly important part of Southampton’s midfield this season, getting better and better as the year has gone on. He gets up and down the pitch extremely well, and while his better skills come in supporting the Saints’ attack, he’s gotten increasingly helpful working to help protect his defense. Herrera is going to have a lot of work to do to keep Ward-Prowse at bay -- though perhaps the best way he can do that is to do well in supporting Manchester’s attack, putting as much stress as he can on his opposite number’s least-developed skillset to throw him off-kilter.
Manchester United injuries and suspensions
Out: Bastian Schweinsteiger, Phil Jones, Nick Powell, Marcos Rojo, Antonio Valencia, Luke Shaw
Southampton injuries and suspensions
Out: Gaston Ramirez, Florin Gardos
Match Date/Time: Saturday, 10 a.m. ET, 3 p.m. local
Venue: Old Trafford, Manchester, England
TV: NBCSN (U.S. - English), NBC Universo (U.S. - Spanish), TSN1, RDS 2 (Canada)
Online: NBC Sports Live Extra (U.S.)
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