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Ralf Rangnick admitted that his Manchester United team made self-inflicted errors as they struggled to maintain a solid first half against Southampton.

The Red Devils came into Saturday’s 1-1 Premier League draw with Southampton with a worrying trend. Indeed, they had dropped points from a winning position in three of the last five matches.

But that record extended into four in the last six as the Saints fought back for a point away from home.

Jadon Sancho opened the scoring at Old Trafford with a well-taken finish at the back post after 25 minutes. Nevertheless, Southampton came back into it heading into half time.

They subsequently started the second half on top and Che Adams scored their equaliser after 48 minutes.

From there, both sides fought for a winner but eventually shared the spoils.

“Yes, unfortunately very similar to the last couple of games,” Man Utd interim boss Ralf Rangnick told BT Sport. “A very good first half hour, we did all the things we intended to do – the counter-attacks, the deep runs.

“In exactly that way we created that goal, great goal in all aspects. But then we stopped doing that. At the end of the first half we didn’t do those things anymore.

“In the second half we also lost a bit of shape, in the first 20 minutes we were struggling to defend them and exactly that happened in transition when they scored their goal.

“In the last 20 minutes we had enough opportunities and big chances to score again. The expected goal ratio was clearly in our favour, but in the end we didn’t get the result we wanted.”

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Rangnick insisted that Southampton – who on Wednesday fought back twice to beat Tottenham 3-2 – proved a tough opponent.

However, the German also admitted that his half-time message to Man Utd did not get through again.

Rangnick makes Man Utd admission

“On the one hand, we have to respect the other team,” Rangnick said. “They played with the same intensity and tactical approach that they did against Tottenham, so it’s not an easy team to play against.

“But we lost composure, took the wrong decisions – sometimes under pressure and sometimes not. This is where we have to just get better. Whenever we prepare the team for the next game, in the last games we started extremely well.

“In the end it’s about playing that way for more than one half.”

Asked about the substance of his half-time message, the manager added: “We told them exactly that, that we have to be aggressive, stay compact and not give them any space where they could move into and play their transitional football.

“This is exactly what we told them, but in the end it’s a different thing to perform like that on the pitch.”

Jadon Sancho earns big praise

Nevertheless, Sancho continued his solid recent form and caused Southampton problems throughout.

Rangnick said of the former Borussia Dortmund winger: “Jadon is in good shape, he had his good moments. I’m very pleased with Jadon’s performance in the last couple of weeks.

“This is the Jadon Sancho I know from the German Bundesliga.

“There is still more space for improvement for him, but the way he’s playing now is the best Jadon Sancho that Manchester United has seen so far.”

Man Utd return to action on Tuesday when facing Brighton at Old Trafford in a rearranged Premier League clash.

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