Manchester United’s unbeaten Premiership record in 2003 has come to an end, as they lost 1-0 at the St. Mary’s stadium earlier this week.

United’s last Premiership defeat, was at the Riverside on Boxing Day, when United plummeted to a 3-1 (check that) defeat to the hands of Middlesbrough.

United were without Paul Scholes (Hernia) in midfield and handed a second start to Kleberson in midfield, and a second start of the season to Diego Forlan up-front.

The first real chance of the game went to Uruguayan international Diego Forlan, when Ryan Giggs threaded through a pass for Forlan to chase. Forlan struck the ball well, but Southampton ‘keeper Paul Jones showed safe hands and collected it.

In the opening forty-five minutes, United looked sloppy and were playing too casual football. Some players even looked uninterested and even treated it like a friendly.

                        Half Time – Southampton 0 – Manchester United 0

The half time interval saw no changes for both teams. Southampton were playing the better football.

United had a golden opportunity to equalize, when Diego Forlan’s pin-point corner met the head of Mikael Silvestre, but the header lacked determination and passion, and went wide.

Kleberson took a knock to his shoulder on the sixty-fifth minute, and has had an X-Ray on it. Cristiano Ronaldo replaced him.

Kevin Phillips then had the chance to break the dead-lock, but his low shot was saved by the impressive Tim Howard.

Moments after, United were awarded a free kick on the right-hand side of the penalty box when Ronaldo was brought down by Graeme le Saux.  Ryan Giggs stepped up to take the free kick, and rattled the crossbar.

Minutes later, Tim Howard pulled off another fantastic save from a James Beattie header. It looked to be going in, but Howard just managed to get a finger to it, and Southampton were awarded a corner.

Diego Forlan almost broke the deadlock when his 25-yard pile driving shot was well saved by Welsh international goalkeeper Paul Jones. It looked like it was going in, but Jones pulled off a fantastic save.

On the eighty-eighth minute, the deadlock was finally broken when le Saux’s perfect corner was met by the head of James Beattie to head home the winner.

His saves in the first and second half really did keep United in the game.

He has really proven that he is United's buy of the summer.

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