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MANCHESTER, England — Manchester United beat nine-man Southampton 9-0 on Tuesday to tie the biggest margin of victory in a Premier League match.
It came 15 months after Southampton lost by the same score line at home to Leicester, for the heaviest-ever home defeat.
Southampton had 19-year-old midfielder Alexandre Jankewitz sent off after 82 seconds and was trailing 6-0 when Jan Bednarek also received a red card for a foul on Anthony Martial in the penalty area in the 86th.
United scored three more late goals and matched its biggest-ever win in the Premier League, having also beaten Ipswich 9-0 in 1995.
“What can I say? It is horrible,” Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl said. “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.”
Canada Soccer Hall of Famer Craig Forest was in goal for Ipswich Town when it was thrashed 9-0 by Manchester United at Old Trafford on March 4, 1995.
Forrest reacted to Tuesday’s thrashing by tweeting “9-0! That’s a familiar score.”
“My only advice for (Southampton goalkeeper) Alex McCarthy is in 25 years you’ll laugh about it … Kind of.”
The Premier League saw another 9-0 thumping on Oct. 25, 2019, when Leicester blanked Southampton.
United moved level on points with first-place Manchester City, behind only on goal difference.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Marcus Rashford and Edinson Cavani added to the own-goal by Bednarek as United went into halftime 4-0 ahead. Martial replaced Cavani for the second half and scored twice, with Scott McTominay, Bruno Fernandes and Daniel James also netting.
“It’s easy to take your foot off the gas but we didn’t want to do that,” Rashford said. “We went out in the second half the same as the first.
“The first half set the tone for us but it’s about keeping a positive attitude and keep scoring goals.”
United’s goal difference is now +19, only five less than City’s.
One more goal would have tied United’s club record, a 10-0 victory over Anderlecht in the European Cup in 1956.
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The Associated Press
