Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said his players will gain "lots of confidence" from their record-equalling 9-0 win over Southampton on Tuesday, which moved them level on points at the top of the Premier League table.
The victory moves Solskjaer's side on to 44 points with alongside Manchester City although United have played two more games, with City travelling to Burnley on Wednesday.
Substitute Anthony Martial scored twice for United after the break in a result that equals the club's 1995 win over Ipswich Town and Southampton's defeat by the same 9-0 scoreline at home to Leicester City in 2019.
"We've been waiting for them to show the magic and it was a night for them to go and enjoy it. We've not had many times where we could just enjoy the second half," said Solskjaer.
"You get lots of confidence from a performance like this, scoring goals is always good for a team."
Saints, already weakened by injuries, had to play with 10 men from the second minute after midfielder Alexandre Jankewitz was sent off. They then went down to nine men when defender Jan Bednarek was dismissed four minutes from time.
A bad night began after 79 seconds when Jankewitz made a dangerous high challenge on Scott McTominay, which left the United midfielder with stud marks on his thigh, and referee Mike Dean had no hesitation in showing the red card.
"When the game starts like it does it's always if you can get the first goal as we have seen so many examples of 10 men closing up shop and getting a draw," said Solskjaer.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka put United ahead in the 18th minute, sliding in at the back post to turn home Luke Shaw’s curling cross.
Marcus Rashford added the second in the 25th with a confident first-time finish after good work from Shaw and Mason Greenwood down the left.
A Bednarek own goal, from a low Rashford cross, made it 3-0 before Edinson Cavani headed home the fourth in the 39th minute.
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Manchester United v Southampton player ratings
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MANCHESTER UNITED PLAYER RATINGS: David De Gea 7. Ten men Saints tried to lean on the Spaniard on a corner but that was the only threat. Rarely troubled until Adams put the ball past him, invoking his fury, but VAR meant the clean sheet remained. AFP -
Aaron Wan Bissaka 8. Put United ahead after 18 minutes with his second goal of the season after losing Ings. Got forward, made crosses which he’d been asked to do and did so with confidence. One of his best games of the season. AP -
Harry Maguire 7. No issues in the first half, but Adams’ disallowed shot went through his legs. Booked on a comfortable evening. Made more passes in the final third of the field than his own half. AP -
Victor Lindelof 7. Ball to Rashford led to the first in United’s biggest win since the 9-0 v Ipswich in ’95. Pushed right up. Won everything in the air. AFP -
Luke Shaw 9 Pushed up towards Rashford on the slick surface. Crossed for first goal to fellow full-back and involved in second. Crossed for fourth with Cavani and created chances throughout. Superb this season, a player on top of his game. PA -
Scott McTominay 8. Hammered by a red card tackle from Jankewitz after 79 seconds. Recovered and helped United dominate the ball. Struck the sixth after 71 minutes, low across the floor from outside the area. His best game since Leeds. AP -
Fred 8. He keeps shooting but not scoring. Buzzed about all night with forward thinking intent. Neat ball set up Martial, who shot wide. His partnership with McTominay is trusted by his manager. Getty Images -
Mason Greenwood 8. In for January’s player of the month, Paul Pogba, after impressing in training and got 90 minutes. Always tries to get a shot off, refreshing in a side whose forwards hadn’t been scoring enough. Good cross to Bruno to head down for late goal. Reuters -
Bruno Fernandes 9. Five games without a goal or assist before. Moved well among United’s unrelenting attacks. Continually found space near the Saints’ goal. Intelligent ball for Martial’s first goal. Then sent goalkeeper the wrong way in an 87th minute penalty for his 17th goal of the season. More shots that any other player. PA -
Marcus Rashford 8. Fifteenth goal of the season after his scoring rate had slowed. Crossed towards Fred before Bednarek turned the ball into his own goal for United’s third. Reuters -
Edinson Cavani 9. Beautiful touches and powerfully headed the fourth against the team he scored twice against in November. Could’ve been awarded a penalty just before half time. Unfortunate to go off at half time, but his job was done. It was a change Solskjaer could afford to make and a rested Cavani will be a more effective Cavani. EPA -
SUBS: Anthony Martial 9. On for Cavani. Needs goals and got on early as United were four ahead. Got the goal he needed after a fine run, chested ball and finished into the top of the net. Nearly scored a second. Exactly what he needed. Fouled by Bednarek for 85th minute penalty and then got United’s 8th in the 89th minute. Again, he chested the ball down before shooting. PA -
Donny Van de Beek 6. On for Shaw. Needs minutes and got a whole half as Solskjaer could rest his full back. Booked. -
Daniel James 6. On for Rashford after an hour. Got the ninth in time added on as Southampton conceded nine for the second time in two seasons. Took goal well. PA -
SOUTHAMPTON PLAYER RATINGS: Alex McCarthy, 5 - A tough night between the sticks for the Englishman, who was exposed on several occasions for United’s goals and could do nothing about some excellent finishing. Getty Images -
Kayne Ramsay, 5 - A tricky assignment for the 20-year-old, who was given a close examination by Rashford, before Greenwood’s clever run caught the full-back out on the way to United’s second. PA -
Jan Bednarek, 4 - The Pole steered the ball into his own net in the 34th minute following a wicked Rashford cross and should have been stronger when trying to deal with Martial on the way to United’s fifth, before receiving a very harsh red card for bringing down Martial for a penalty late on. EPA -
Jack Stephens, 5 - A brilliant header under pressure prevented danger manifesting into a chance in the 33rd minute. Got under Shaw’s cross shortly after, though, allowing Cavani to head home for 4-0. Booked in first-half stoppage time for dissent. EPA -
Ryan Bertrand, 5 - The full-back gave up plenty of space to Wan-Bissaka on the overlap whilst attempting to deal with the movement of Greenwood, and the 31-year-old could perhaps have done more to cut out the cross that led to the opener. EPA -
Alex Jankewitz, 1 - On his full senior debut the Swiss youngster received a straight red card inside the opening 90 seconds for an awful tackle on McTominay. Over the ball, studs up and nasty. No complaints. PA -
James Ward-Prowse, 6 - Had a sight of goal in the 17th minute when he sliced a shot from distance harmlessly wide. He got even closer in the 28th minute with a vicious free kick that De Gea turned behind for a corner. AFP -
Stuart Armstrong, 6 - The early red card meant the Scot was unable to get his foot on the ball and make things happen, with swarms of United shirts crowding around him before he had time to look up and pick a pass. Booked for dissent in the closing stages. PA -
Moussa Djenepo, 5 - Didn’t do enough to prevent Luke Shaw from cashing in on oceans of space on the United left, with the home full-back causing all kinds of problems with balls into the box. Replaced by Allan Tchaptchet in the 78th minute. AFP -
Che Adams, 6 - Occupied the lone striker role as Ings moved into midfield and the former Birmingham City man was feeding off scraps for most of the night. Dreadfully unlucky to have a goal chalked off for offside early in the second half, before miscuing what should’ve been a simple finish in the final 20 minutes. Getty Images -
Danny Ings, 5 - Forced to take on more defensive duties following Jankewitz’s red card and the frontman failed to adequately track the run of Wan-Bissaka for the opener. Replaced by Nathan Redmond for the final 20 minutes. AP -
SUBS: Nathan Redmond (Ings, 70’), 6 – A great reverse ball presented Che Adams with a golden chance that the forward wasted. AP -
Allan Tchaptchet (Djenepo, 78’), N/R – The 19-year-old was introduced for the final 12 minutes as Southampton moved to a back three but was unable to stem the United ride. AFP
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Dean then awarded United a penalty when Kayne Ramsay brought down Cavani, who suffered an ankle injury and had to be substituted at halftime, but VAR ruled the foul had taken place just outside the box.
Yet the video official worked in United's favour after the break when Che Adams looked to have pulled a goal back for the visitors but it was ruled out on review for the tightest of offside margins.
French forward Martial blasted in the fifth from a tight angle after 69 minutes and McTominay made it 6-0 with a sweet drive from the edge of the box in the 71st.
Polish defender Bednarek's miserable night was completed when he was harshly sent off, conceding a penalty when he clipped Martial and then being shown the red card after another VAR review.
Bruno Fernandes converted the spot kick before Martial added his second in the final minute of normal time and Dan James made it nine in stoppage time.
Saints manager Ralph Hasenhuettl endured the second 9-0 loss of his time with the club but said his team would recover as they did after the hammering from Leicester.
"What can I say? It is horrible but we stood up after the first 9-0 and we have to do that again. I said at the time we do not need it again but when we have it again you have to take it," he said.
