A run of three defeats from three fixtures represents the worst possible start for Southampton on their Premier League return, though from an individual perspective, summer signing Yukinari Sugawara has made a positive early impact.

The tireless worker has found early form on the right flank where he has been averaging 1.75 shots per 90 minutes as a wing-back. Sugawara had three strikes at goal in his last runout against Brentford and his marauding runs should put him in position to let fly at least once again against a United that is still playing without a recognised left back.

Flynn Downes is the chief enforcer and ball-winner in Southampton’s three-man central midfield unit and the 25-year-old has been averaging 3.00 tackles and 2.00 fouls per 90 minutes for the Saints this term.

Never shy about engaging in ground duels with opponents, Downes is certain to bring his appetite for a scrap into Saturday’s clash with Manchester United and the former West Ham academy starlet offers excellent value in the 2+ fouls bracket again.

Downes committed five fouls in one sitting against Newcastle on matchday one and he should be just as heavily involved against another high-profile side this weekend.

Some of his more senior teammates might be wilting, but Kobbie Mainoo has been playing with real authority for Man Utd this season. The England international has been a physical presence in midfield for United and the teenager has been committing and drawing 2.41 fouls in each direction per 90 since the start of the new campaign.

Mainoo will be fighting his corner against some combative Southampton counterparts in what should be a packed midfield zone at St. Mary’s Stadium on Saturday and the 19-year-old is likely to be fouled at least once again.

Bruno Fernandes ranks near the top of the pile for Man Utd this season for both average shots on target attempted per 90 (1.05) and xGF accrued (1.60), and though he has yet to open his account for the campaign, he is backed to maintain his goal-threat against Southampton.

Fernandes had a productive international break for Portugal and landed two shots on target in each of his two runouts for the Selecao against Croatia and Scotland, scoring once, so he should return to United with renewed confidence.

The 30-year-old, who has notched three times in seven previous appearances against the Saints, has a good record in this fixture and he has the credentials to clock at least one shot on target against Southampton again here.

Ben Brereton hasn’t quite honed his sights yet this season, hitting the target with just one of his seven attempts for Southampton so far, though the Chilean international had more strikes at goal any of his Saints teammates across the club’s first three Premier League fixtures.

The 25-year-old should have opportunities to improve his accuracy against a Man Utd defence that continues to offer up chances to opponents and Brereton does have previous success against the Red Devils to draw confidence from.

Brereton spent his formative years in the Man Utd academy and he scored from one of his two shots on target when he last faced United as a senior pro for former club Sheffield United in April. The attacker could make himself a nuisance again on Saturday.

Just like his fellow wing-back Yukinari Sugawara, Kyle Walker-Peters has been a key outlet in wide positions for Southampton this season and the 27-year-old, who ranks fourth for total touches (254) of the ball at the Saints since the summer, has been seeing plenty of action from his berth on the left.

Walker-Peters’s heavy involvement has seen him average 2.08 shots per 90 minutes for Southampton while the versatile defender has also been fouled a hefty 2.41 times (p/90) by opposing players. If tactical trends hold, Walker-Peters should see a decent amount of the ball again on Saturday, so expect his high fouls-against figure to be maintained.

Joshua Zirkzee was on the end of some scathing criticism before the international break after he missed two glaring opportunities worth 0.90 in xGF combined in Manchester United’s defeat to Liverpool.

However, the 23-year-old’s ability to sniff out those excellent goal-scoring chances in the first place can be viewed as a positive and Zirkzee showcased his predatory instincts again last weekend when he broke his international duck for the Netherlands against Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Buoyed by that effort and keen to make up for fluffed chances against Liverpool, Zirkzee looks like a prime anytime goalscoring candidate against Southampton.

Manchester United’s tally of two goals from their opening three Premier League fixtures is undeniably modest, though chance creation hasn’t been a problem for the Red Devils who hold the division’s joint-fourth-highest xGF figure so far (5.20).

United also missed the joint-most big chances (nine) in the campaign’s opening exchanges and Erik ten Hag’s side should be able to manufacture more openings against a Southampton side that conceded 43 shots combined in their last two league fixtures against Nottingham Forest and Brentford.

Aaron Ramsdale could be a key figure in that kind of scenario. The Saints’ summer signing made four saves on his debut in Southampton’s 3-1 loss to Brentford before the international break and the 26-year-old’s reflexes could be tested just as regularly on Saturday.