Edinson Cavani was the hero for Manchester United as his second-half brace saw the visitors overturn a 2-0 deficit at half-time to win 3-2 at Southampton.
Super sub Edinson Cavani inspired Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s Manchester United to a stunning 3-2 comeback win at the death against Southampton.
Jan Bednarek’s header and a fine James Ward-Prowse free-kick had Saints dreaming of a first home league win against the Red Devils since 2003.
But Ralph Hasenhuttl’s men squandered their two-goal lead as half-time introduction Cavani turned the match on its head, setting up Bruno Fernandes before netting a brace to secure a sensational late triumph.
It was the 10th time that United had come from behind to beat Southampton in Premier League history – a victory that propelled them up the standings and continued their 100 per cent start to life on the road.
Few could have foreseen this outcome when Ward-Prowse superbly beat David De Gea shortly after sending in a smart corner for Bednarek to open the scoring at an empty St Mary’s.
Harry Maguire fumed at referee Jon Moss after Marcus Rashford went down in the box under pressure from Ward-Prowse, with Fernandes seeing a deflected effort from distance whizz just wide.
United were causing the hosts all sorts of problems, but the momentum turned in the 23rd minute.
Ward-Prowse fired an inswinging corner to the near post, where Bednarek had wriggled away from Rashford and glanced a header home from close range.
The opener rattled United and emboldened Saints, with Ward-Prowse’s corners to the near post continuing to cause havoc and Kyle Walker-Peters seeing a deflected shot hit the far post.
United’s building pressure would tell as Cavani lifted the ball across to Fernandes, who struck low past McCarthy after taking a touch.
The visitors ratcheted up the pressure as they looked to take something from St Mary’s.
Cavani was proving a handful and levelled proceedings in the 74th minute. Saints goalkeeper McCarthy punched a corner clear and Fernandes’ deflected shot back into the box was headed home by poacher Cavani.
Che Adams fired across the face of goal on a rare voyage forwards by Southampton, who were under the cosh and praying for the final whistle.
But just as it looked like they had held out, United dug deep to break the hosts’ hearts in stoppage time. Cavani peeled away to meet a Rashford cross and beat McCarthy to the delight of those connected to the visitors.