Match Preview

Manchester United hosts Southampton in their first home game of 2025. Despite mixed Premier League results, United showed strong form recently, including a 2-2 draw against Liverpool and a FA Cup win over Arsenal. Southampton, meanwhile, sits at the bottom of the table and faces a tough challenge under new manager Ivan Juric.

Southampton’s most recent victory at Old Trafford came just over nine years ago, marking the last time they defeated Manchester United either home or away.

Interestingly, their last three league wins at this ground have all taken place in January. The most recent were in 2016 and 2015, with the one before that dating back to this day in 1988.

Since that 2016 match, the teams have met 16 times. While United has largely dominated, three of the last four encounters at Old Trafford have ended in frustrating draws for the Reds. The other? A memorable 9-0 triumph for United that fans won’t soon forget.

How to Watch

The match is scheduled for an 8:00 PM GMT kickoff on Thursday, January 16, 2025. UK fans can watch live on TNT Sports, while MUTV provides in-depth pre-match coverage from 6:55 PM GMT, featuring team arrivals and behind-the-scenes footage. Updates and match highlights will be available on the United app and website.

Manchester United Lineup

Here’s the Manchester United lineup as announced by the club:

Onana
Yoro
De Ligt
Martinez
Amad
Ugarte
Mainoo
Mazraoui
Fernandes (c)
Garnacho
Hojlund

Substitutes: Bayindir, Maguire, Malacia, Kukonki, Eriksen, Casemiro, Antony, Collyer, Zirkzee.

The starting XI sees three changes from Sunday’s FA Cup clash at Arsenal, with Andre Onana, Leny Yoro, and Amad stepping into the lineup.

Harry Maguire, who missed the build-up to the Emirates match due to illness, joins penalty shoot-out hero Altay Bayindir on the bench. Meanwhile, Diogo Dalot is suspended, and Academy defender Godwill Kukonki takes his place in the matchday squad.

Southampton Team News

Southampton enters the game after a morale-boosting FA Cup win over Swansea. Despite this, injuries to key players like Jack Stephens and Ross Stewart remain a concern. Young forward Tyler Dibling, fresh from a brace against Swansea, will be a player to watch as the Saints aim to defy their underdog status.