Casemiro got the first straight red card of his career as Manchester United were held to a goalless draw at home by Southampton.
Casemiro’s second red card of the season for a dangerous tackle on Carlos Alcaraz gave the visitors a numerical advantage in the 34th minute but they were unable to capitalise on it despite going close on a number of occasions for about an hour.
David de Gea made a brilliant reaction save to turn away Theo Walcott’s close-range header before producing a one-handed save after the break when Walcott found himself running clear of the home defence.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka was forced to clear off the line when Scott McTominay turned a Kyle Walker-Peters cross towards his own goal before a James Ward-Prowse free-kick skimmed of the top of the bar and Walker-Peters hit a post with an angled drive for the visitors barely after a Bruno Fernandes shot was pushed onto the woodwork by goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu.
The result consolidates United’s top-four position, while Southampton are effectively three points from safety given their goal difference, with 12 games of the campaign remaining.
Manchester United have twelve clean sheets in their last 21 games at Old Trafford, scoring forty-eight goals while being unbeaten in that period.
Southampton remain bottom of the Premier League and have now picked up seven points from four games since Nathan Jones was sacked on 12 February – their most productive run since August.
Wednesday’s rearranged game with Brentford does offer the opportunity for Ruben Selles’ side to climb out of the relegation zone for the first time since the end of October.