5 things we learned from Manchester United v Southampton

De Gea saves points and prizes

Despite leaking two goals against The Saints, goalkeeper David De Gea was an unsung hero for the League Cup winners, ensuring United never went behind in this match.

Firstly, the Spaniard denied captain Steven Davis drawing Southampton level shortly before the half-hour mark, clawing away the midfielder’s powerful drive from 25 yards out.

Then, Dusan Tadic tried his luck four minutes later, only for De Gea to block well with his legs.

But, undoubtedly, just after the interval, De Gea produced the save of the game to preserve United’s 2-1 advantage [though only momentarily], after spectacularly turning over Nathan Redmond’s stinging volley after Maya Yoshida’s lobbed ball in the penalty area caught out his entire defence.

Gabbiadini soon equalised, but without De Gea’s pivotal reflexes, United could have been 3-2 or 4-2 down early in the second-half as Southampton rapidly grew into the game and looked the more likely team to nick a late winner.

United fans are regularly thankful to De Gea’s last-ditch heroics in the Premier League, which preserve all three points, or even salvages a point.

But today, it meant more than just points – a prize, the League Cup.