Koeman: We ‘controlled’ game at ‘nervous’ United

United are not there yet but, on current form, they won’t be playing Champions League football next season.

Leicester are top of the Premier League once again after a 3-0 win over Stoke.

United’s recent revival has been centred around Wayne Rooney, who has scored five goals in his last four games.

Something has to be done, and the future of Louis van Gaal surely doesn’t lie at Manchester United.

The Serbian super sub came off the bench to score in the back-to-back wins against Watford and West Brom and is now preparing to return to the scene of the most memorable of his 11 Saints goals.

“It’s fantastic for Charlie”, Koeman said. “I think it will be shown around the world on the TV”. But Van Gaal isn’t giving the fans anything to cling on to when he talks after a game. Memphis Depay played well when introduced last week and if he can fins osme form then Unites’s attacking play could get a whole upgrade with his pace and trickery. “Attack!” at their shot-shy team and will have been even more vexed at seeing Mexico striker Javier Hernandez, who was discarded by Louis van Gaal and sent out on loan to Bayer Leverkusen, named the CONCACAF region’s player of the year on Friday. United suffered a blip in December when they failed to win in 6 games, but have since returned to winning ways and are unbeaten in 5.

Mata is too pedestrian in possession, there is no questioning he still has the ability to conjure up moments of creative brilliance but unlike David Silva and Mesut Ozil when the chips are down he goes missing. Dele Alli, one of the breakthrough stars of the season, flicked the ball up and back over his own head before volleying into the bottom corner.

Koeman mentioned United’s set-piece frailties to Austin before the striker entered the fray and headed home James Ward-Prowse’s right-wing delivery.

They trailed 3-1 at one point.

The Saints have scored an unrivalled 13 Premier League goals from crosses this season.

But Harry Kane equalised in the 63rd minute by heading in Nacer Chadli’s cross before Alli struck in the 84th minute, flicking the ball over a defender’s head and volleying home from the edge of the box. “The Hammers” livewire Ecuadorian Valencia had put them ahead after 53 seconds with a sharp shot but City responded within eight minutes, Aguero equalising from the penalty spot after he had been fouled by Carl Jenkinson.

He’s won fewer tackles, while his tackle success rate is lower than it was under Ronald Koeman.