Southampton fans have become accustomed to grimacing for the first time on matchdays exactly one hour before a ball is kicked.
The past two seasons have been error-strewn, and have largely made for painful viewing. Much of this has been because of laboured, passive football, but it’s safe to say that haphazard defending and avoidable individual errors have been largely responsible for the club’s demise.
For every pleasing inclusion in the starting line-up, there has been one that quietens enthusiasm. For every sigh of relief to see a key player listed in the starting line-up as the team sheets are revealed, it is commonly met with a counter-argument – a ‘but’.
Sofiane Boufal’s return to the starting line-up left Saints fans rejoicing. Perhaps Ralph Hasenhuttl’s hand was forced by injuries to Nathan Redmond and Moussa Djenepo, but it was nonetheless exciting to see the return of one of the Premier League’s most enigmatic players.
The pleasant surprise of the Moroccan’s inclusion was, in large parts, tainted by the acknowledgement that what had been perceived as a weak link previously had not been removed. Jannik Vestergaard kept his place in the line-up, in central defence, with Kevin Danso moved back to the unfamiliar role of left-back, and Maya Yoshida left on the bench once more.
Vestergaard had a decent game against Brighton and Hove Albion the week before. He wasn’t tested much by their blunted strike force following Florin Andone’s red card, but he dealt with balls into the box reasonably well and enjoyed his first clean sheet of the campaign.
After such a start to the season, a quiet afternoon was just the tonic for the Dane. He had made two glaring misjudgements as Southampton collapsed to a 3-0 defeat at Burnley, and hardly covered himself in any glory for Roberto Firmino’s decisive goal in the 2-1 loss to Liverpool a week later.
Vestergaard has never been necessarily viewed as a liability at Southampton; among fans, he has largely been perceived as a weak link this season, with some confusion surrounding Hasenhuttl’s decision to overlook the consistent, reliable Yoshida for the rather more erratic former Borussia Monchengladbach star.
Conceptions that attach themselves with Vestergaard entail doubts over his suitability to the Premier League’s dynamism: his turn of pace, his ability to retreat from Hasenhuttl’s high line, his slow decision-making.
All are fair assessments of Vestergaard’s weaknesses; he is a player who thrives with the game in front of him, rather than when teams can break in behind via direct, vertical passes to more fleet-footed attackers.
So, naturally, when it became apparent that Hasenhuttl had retained faith in the £18 million man against Manchester United – most pertinently in a back four, without the protection of an additional centre-back alongside him and Jan Bednarek – whose style revolves around deft touches and quick combinations, eyebrows were raised.
But Vestergaard stepped up at a crucial moment to prove his doubters wrong, even if the work has only just begun.
If few had expected him to limit the influence of Marcus Rashford in the composed, focused manner which he did, even fewer would have predicted his first goal in a Southampton shirt to come in a game of such great importance. He also won a rare Man of the Match award, courtesy of BT Sport – a reflection of his dominance against the Red Devils given their persistent efforts to breach the resilient Saints back-line.
Vestergaard, in typical fashion, started the game in shaky fashion. He wasn’t targeted by United, as such, nor did he necessarily struggle. But he hardly looked convincing, either, hurriedly following the ball’s motion and breathlessly aiming to distribute possession whenever it arrived.
As the contest wore on, though, he grew in stature. The tallest outfield player in the Premier League began to finally put his imposing frame to effective use, as he shut United out after they had taken the lead through Daniel James. He put his body on the line, read the game well and, more significantly, made no rash decisions to put his teammates at risk.
Vestergaard cleared the ball five times, recovered possession on nine occasions and made seven interceptions. Of the eight aerial duels in which he was involved, he came out on top five times. For a man who stands at six foot six inches, it would be expected, at the very least, that he would be dominant with the ball off the ground. However, we have seldom seen the physical prowess that Vestergaard clearly boasts since his move from Monchengladbach last summer.
Two of these aerial duels were crucial. One, in United’s box, restored parity for Southampton. After Danny Ings saw his glancing header palmed away by David de Gea, Danso looped a ball back into the box. Time appeared to stand still, as Victor Lindelof anticipated the challenge. However, Vestergaard timed his jump to perfection, towered over the Swedish defender and nodded home his first goal in 30 matches for the club, having scored seven in his last two campaigns in Germany.
What was equally important, though, was Vestergaard’s final aerial duel of the match. With Southampton reduced to 10 men following Danso’s red card, United peppered the Saints box with crosses, passes and frantic attempts to prompt a capitulation that has become synonymous with the hosts at St Mary’s over the years.
Ashley Young got his head up and, unchallenged, swept a ball into the box. It wasn’t the greatest of crosses, nor did it pose immediate danger, but lying in wait was Vestergaard, who assertively launched the ball well away from his box and United’s attackers. It might not have reached the tireless runs of Stuart Armstrong and Shane Long, but it was as much a rejection as an invitation; Vestergaard would not be beaten, but United were free to try should they fancy their chances.
It was a performance unlike many we have seen from the 27-year-old in a Southampton shirt, and arguably his best yet. What now matters is consistency; this display must not be a flash in the pan, and Vestergaard must shine in the next match at Sheffield United, and then Bournemouth after that, and Portsmouth after that, to truly establish the continuity and reliability that Saints fans have so long craved in a central defender since Virgil van Dijk left.
Hasenhuttl deserves credit, of course. Just as he did after Vestergaard made a fatal error in his first match in charge of Southampton – a 1-0 away defeat against Cardiff City – he has retained faith in the Dane.
If he can turn in more displays like the one he did against United on Saturday, he’ll no longer be a player who Saints fans feel more than uneasy seeing in their starting line-up an hour before battle commences in Premier League fixtures.
