Manchester United outclasses a defensively feeble Southampton

Any questions about £36-million man Anthony Martial's merits were put to rest Sunday as the newcomer scored twice in Manchester United's 3-2 win over Southampton at St. Mary's.

For all the praise directed at a deserved Martial and attacking colleagues Juan Mata and Memphis Depay, Ronald Koeman's Saints warrant criticism for some moments of utterly insipid defending.

Even with that, Southampton nearly drew level late, highlighting both the attacking resolve of the likes of Graziano Pelle and Sadio Mane and the frailty of United's back four.

Southampton's Maya Yoshida continues to underwhelm on the south coast, compounding a rash of injuries to the Saints that saw the side fail to name a defender to the bench.

Yoshida started at right-back in lieu of a host of defensive injuries, including Ryan Bertrand, Cedric Soares, Steven Caulker, and the long-term layoff to Florin Gardos.

And it was Yoshida who played a role in Martial's second goal of the day, as the Japanese international anemically attempted to pass the ball back to his 'keeper, playing a perfect ball into the path of the young Frenchman before slotting it past a lunging Maarten Stekelenburg in the 50th minute.

The error outdid a spirited first half effort from the Saints, with Pelle netting the opener on a probing cross from England Under-21 stud James Ward-Prowse and nearly depositing a second moments later.

Ward-Prowse was unlucky not to see a penalty call as Luke Shaw's replacement Marcos Rojo caught the leg of the England Under-21 international midway through the opening stanza.

Regardless, the first half was Martial's, as he displayed a sense of calmness synonymous with experience, gracefully switching the ball from his left foot to his right before firing it past Stekelenburg.

United and Southampton traded goals in the match's last 25 minutes, with Mata finishing a lovely team effort before Pelle scored his second of the afternoon.

Credit to Van Gaal's squad for developing a penchant to win from behind, as the Red Devils climb to second in the table, two points behind their crosstown rivals Manchester City.