Manchester United were looking to build on their win at Anfield and possibly climb into the top four as they welcome Southampton to Old Trafford on matchday 23 in the Premier League.
The Saints had lost four in a row away from home, but ended that run thanks to a late winner from Charlie Austin less than 10 minutes after the striker came on for his debut.
Relive what was a game of few chances with Sports Mole's minute-by-minute updates below.
Afternoon all! Just 10 minutes separates us from kickoff at Old Trafford as United host Southampton. Team news on the way...
UNITED XI: De Gea; Darmian, Smalling, Blind, Borthwick-Jackson; Schneiderlin, Fellaini; Lingard, Herrera, Martial; Rooney
Subs: Romero, McNair, Varela, Pereira, Januzaj, Mata, Memphis
Subs: Romero, McNair, Varela, Pereira, Januzaj, Mata, Memphis
SAINTS XI: Forster; Cedric, Fonte, Van Dijk, Targett; Clasie, Wanyama; Tadic Mane, Bertrand; Long
Subs: Stekelenburg, Yoshida, Romeu, Martina, Ward-Prowse, Juanmi, Austin
Subs: Stekelenburg, Yoshida, Romeu, Martina, Ward-Prowse, Juanmi, Austin
Louis van Gaal makes one United change and it's an enforced one at left-back as Cameron Borthwick-Jackson comes in for the injured Ashley Young. On the bench, Adnan Januzaj returns to the matchday squad after returning from his loan at Borussia Dortmund.
For the visiting Saints, James Ward-Prowse drops to the bench despite scoring a brace in the 3-0 win over West Bromwich Albion, with Jordy Clasie coming in. Steven Davis is not fit for the trip, meaning that Dusan Tadic earns a recall to the starting XI. Charlie Austin is on the bench.
Smile!
KICKOFF! And we're off at Old Trafford. Saints in their away colours of green and navy this afternoon.
As you can see from the live Premier League table, seven points separate these two top-half sides, with United chasing fourth place this afternoon. If they win and Spurs lose at Palace, then they will go into the Champions League places tonight.
Wanyama, a reported target of United, wins the ball in midfield and finds Long, whose cross into the middle for another player United are said to have courted, Mane, is just behind the forward.
United have the first shot of the match, but it's a tame effort as Martial drags an effort well wide.
STAT: The biggest concern will be one of entertainment for the home fans. United have scored only two first-half goals in their 10 Premier League outings at Old Trafford this season, with one of those being an own goal on the opening day and the other coming in the fourth minute of first-half stoppage time.
It's hard to see United stopping that trend against the Saints, who have kept two straight clean sheets in wins over Watford and West Brom.
The return of Forster in goal has certainly helped and he's just been tested for the first time by a long-range Blind shot.
SHOT! Rooney is chasing five straight games with a goal for the first time since 2010 and he has his first opening after being given space about 20 yards from goal. You'd expect him to at least test Forster, but the Red Devils captain pulls it wide.
Really good defending from Smalling as he tracks the run of Mane before sliding in and taking the ball away from the forward just as he was looking to break through on goal.
Break in play here as Clasie stays down and needs treatment. Romeu is sent out straight away to warm up.
First shot of the match from the visitors and it's a speculative one to say the least as the ball sits up for Cedric and he volleys high into the Stretford End.
Van Dijk with a careless backpass that almost allows Martial in on goal. Luckily for the former, Forster is alert and just gets there first to hack away.
Rooney again given plenty of room outside the area and this shot is even worse than the first one as he slices it nearer the corner flag than the goal.
Free kick to the back post from Southampton and Wanyama is up, but he can't keep the header down.
CHANCE! Big, big opening and the best chance of the match as Mane and Tadic exchange passes. The former is through on goal, but he can't quite reach the ball after bringing it down and De Gea gathers.
UPDATE: This is one of six Premier League games that kicked off at 3pm and there have only been two goals elsewhere. Benik Afobe has put Bournemouth ahead at Sunderland, while Jan Vertonghen's own goal means that Palace lead Spurs. That second scoreline means that a United goal would put them in the top four.
Smalling flies in to head the ball away after Tadic had been found down the left and delivered a dangerous cross.
The home fans are getting fed up here and heading for a half-time pie. They boo as the ball is hoofed forward from defence. United have been mind-numbingly boring, especially in the first half, at home the last few months.
Nice one-two between Rooney and Herrera, but the latter only has Martial in the middle and pulls his cross behind the young Frenchman. Far too cautious so far from United. "Attack, attack, attack attack attack!" chant the home fans.
Just after two minutes of added time are signalled, Lingard drives in from the right and fires wide of the mark. He wants a free kick, but today's referee Mike Jones is having none of it.
HALF-TIME: MAN UTD 0-0 SOUTHAMPTON
United fail to score in the first half of a home match for the 11th time in a row - 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-1 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0
That was a real nothing half. Saints had the best chance when Mane failed to bring down the ball with only De Gea to beat. Forster has had little to do in the visitors' goal. We'll be back for the second half soon.
UNITED SUB: Van Gaal makes a half-time change to try to give the hosts some more creativity, with Mata on for Fellaini.
KICKOFF! And that change was met by huge cheers from the home fans. United get us back underway.
More excitement please 🙏
Cedric fires over a cross from the right after some patient build-up by Wanyama. It reaches Mane, but he swings wildly and completely misses what was a difficult first-time chance.
United almost unlock the Saints' defence as Rooney picks a reverse pass for Mata. The Spaniard isn't the quickest and can't reach it, but the ball pops loose for Martial before Southampton just about survive as the ricochet falls kindly for Forster.
This is De Gea's 150th Premier League appearance in the United goal and he is yet to be tested by Southampton.
Delay at Old Trafford here as Darmian clashes heads with Long and stays down. Another full-back injury for United?
UNITED SUB: Darmian is very dazed and it's certainly wise to take him off. McNair on in his place.
CLOSE! It almost goes from bad to worse for United as Wanyama heads just wide from Tadic's corner after Long's effort from the initial set piece was deflected wide.
The visitors are preparing a couple of changes with midfielders Romeu and Ward-Prowse stripped and ready on the touchline.
SOUTHAMPTON SUBS: No Austin yet as Clasie and Tadic come off. Ward-Prowse doubled his career tally in the win over West Brom last week and is always a danger with his fantastic set pieces.
Into the final 20 minutes we go then and it's hard to quite put into words how boring this match has been. Southampton were always going to come to Old Trafford and play like this, but for United to come up with so few ideas is inexcusable. Have a go, at least.
Missed opportunity on the counter-attack for the visitors as Long fails to bring the ball under control with Mane racing to get into the middle.
UPDATE: 😴 😴 😴 😴 😴 😴 😴 😴 😴 😴 😴 😴 😴 😴 😴 😴 😴 😴
Well here's something to liven it up a little bit as a mouse is spotted on the pitch. Yay!
SOUTHAMPTON SUB: It's a Saints debut for Austin as he comes on for Mane. Can he make an impact in the final 10 minutes? Let's hope so.
Ward-Prowse with one of his trademark free kicks that Long gets up to meet well, but he was under pressure from Blind and could not keep his header down.
The groans continue with regularity from the home supporters as Januzaj prepares to come on for United.
UNITED SUB: It's Borthwick-Jackson off for Januzaj, who makes his first appearance since returning from a stinky stint at Dortmund.
GOAL! MAN UTD 0-1 SOUTHAMPTON (CHARLIE AUSTIN)
He's done it! Less than 10 minutes after coming on for his debut, Austin powers home a header after being left unmarked from Ward-Prowse's free kick.
By the way, Dele Alli has just scored an incredible goal for Spurs, who lead 2-1 at Palace. Well worth a watch later on and bad news for United.
FIVE minutes of added time at Old Trafford.
SAVE! The Saints go close to wrapping it up as Romeu pounces on a loose ball and tests De Gea with a low shot.
SHOT! Januzaj shoots wide in the final minute of injury time and that might be that.
FULL-TIME: MAN UTD 0-1 SOUTHAMPTON
The Saints win at Old Trafford for the second season running thanks to a late winner on debut from Charlie Austin!
Click here to see how that leaves the Premier League table, with Southampton up to eighth and now just four points behind United. The Red Devils stay fifth, but they are now five points behind Spurs in fourth and will be leapfrogged if West Ham upset Man City in the evening kickoff.
If you want to follow that match, then head this way as I bid you farewell after another memorable day for the Saints at Old Trafford!
