Manchester United failed to bounce back from their historic defeat to Liverpool as Casemiro was sent off in a 0-0 draw with Premier League strugglers Southampton.
United suffered the largest loss in the history of their great rivalry with Liverpool last Sunday, going down 7-0 on Merseyside.
Seven days on, Erik ten Hag s men were again disappointing, and Casemiro s red card for a bad foul on Carlos Alcaraz allowed the relegation-threatened visitors to dominate.
Southampton failed to take their chances, however, left to settle for a well-earned point that keeps them bottom of the table but only two points adrift of safety.
United initially looked in the mood to set things right after their Anfield humbling and Marcus Rashford was denied by Gavin Bazunu after a fine give and go with Bruno Fernandes.
But Fernandes would spend much of the rest of the first half aiming protestations at referee Anthony Taylor as United struggled to exert control on the game.
They were grateful to David de Gea for turning over Theo Walcott s close-range header but then had to face up to playing with 10 men as Casemiro was shown a straight red after Taylor went to the VAR monitor following a high challenge on Alcaraz after 34 minutes.
2 Casemiro is the first player to receive two red cards in a single Premier League season for Manchester United since Nemanja Vidic in 2013-14. Orders.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe)
Raphael Varane nearly bundled home at the far post from a Fernandes free-kick soon after, with United subsequently seeing two penalty appeals correctly waved away at the end of a frustrating first half for the hosts.
Southampton twice went agonisingly close to capitalising on their one-player advantage after the restart.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka was forced to clear off the line after Scott McTominay deflected a Kyle Walker-Peters cross towards goal. James Ward-Prowse then clipped the top of the crossbar as he narrowly missed out matching David Beckham s Premier League record for goals from free-kicks.
Walcott was again thwarted by De Gea after going through one on one with the United goalkeeper on the counter, before Bazunu produced heroics at the other end to turn Fernandes curling effort against the inside of the post.
Walker-Peters saw a swerving effort clatter the left-hand post with De Gea well beaten, with fortune favouring a United side that is now 16 points adrift of leaders Arsenal.
What does it mean? United s costly cup final hangover
Though United took command of their Europa League last-16 tie with Real Betis by winning 4-1 on Thursday, in the league they have been poor since winning the EFL Cup last month.
A haul of just one point from two games looks to have ended any faint hope of a title challenge, and they could be only six points clear of fifth-placed Newcastle United, their next league opponents on April 2, by the end of Sunday.
Ward-Prowse a reason for hope
Southampton dominated the midfield battle, with United’s cause in that area greatly damaged by Casemiro seeing red.
Ward-Prowse was the man pulling the strings for the Saints, playing four key passes (tied with Luke Shaw for the game high) in a performance he nearly capped with a spectacular and historic free-kick.
Casemiro s bad habit
Having also been sent off against Crystal Palace last month, Casemiro became the first United player since Nemanja Vidic in 2013-14 to receive two red cards in a single Premier League season.
Key Opta Stats:
This was Manchester United s 32nd Premier League 0-0 draw since Alex Ferguson left the club in 2013, now the most of any side since the start of 2013-14.
Southampton have kept back-to-back clean sheets in the Premier League for the first time since February 2022.
Man Utd remain unbeaten in their last 14 Premier League meetings with Southampton (W6 D8) since a 1-0 defeat at Old Trafford in January 2016.
Saints attempted 17 shots; on only three occasions on record (since 2003-04) have they had more without scoring in a Premier League away game.
Casemiro is one of only two players to be sent off twice in his first Premier League campaign as a Man Utd player. The other was Darren Fletcher in 2003-04.
What’s next?
United will look to finish the job against Betis in Seville on Thursday, a day after Southampton host Brentford in the league.
