Saints threw away a match they dominated through lack of concentration and slack defending against a poor Manchester United side.
This is a game that Saints threw away, for long periods of the game they out passed and out thought the visitors only to give away a sloppy goal when on top.
The first goal saw Jose Fonte underhit a back pass to leave Robin Van Persie straight through one on one with Forster, the second goal saw a Wayne Rooney free kick catch everyone dreaming, Fraser Forster stayed on his line and no one tracked Van Persie who slotted in unmarked at the far post.
These were two of the three shots United had on target in the whole match and that perhaps emphasised which side was in control, this defeat was not because of our injury list or because of our small squad, it was merely because of individual error at key times and sadly that has happened in each of the last four games and in three of them has cost us points.
But there are plenty of plus's to take from the game and Saints can now regroup and go into a run of games that will help define the season starting at Burnley and continuing at Sheffield United. Not least the fact that we can compete with any side in this division even with an injury ravaged side.
Ronald Koeman now needs to get the side back to basics and cut out these individual errors that have blighted the last few games, it is in times of hardship that you find out the character of the players in a squad, in the main last night ours came through with flying colours in terms of attitude and our supporters need to see that and realise that although United are a pale shadow of their former selves they are still a decent side in the Premier league and that we lost this game through errors in areas that can be addressed rather than this being the start of a meltdown.
As the injured return to the squad Ronald Koeman will now know more about who should hold their place and who shouldn't, perhaps with our previous good run that hasn't been there and that a few cracks have been papered over.
Last night Koeman will have seen that Toby Alderweireld is the major cog in the defence, without him it does not look half as good both defensively and going forward, we lacked a confidence not just in general but in each other and no one seemed to be taking charge, without Alderweireld, Jose Fonte has made a costly error in the last two games he has relapsed back into his old ways, hopefully this is temporary but without Toby and with a faltering Jose, our full backs did not look half as effective and seemed to lack a little bit of confidence.
In midfield the worry is Tadic and Mane and not Shane Long, there were those who criticised Long but in the last few games Long has shown why we bought him with a battling attitude that has shown just what his value to the side is.
Dusan Tadic is just off form, at least I hope so.
Sadio Mane is fast becoming the scapegoat of some fans, a month ago people where questioning why we had paid £12 million for Long, now the roles have reversed and Mane's quality is under the microscope, last night he wasn't great but he does offer pace and a threat and he didn't stop running and battling, I think he has more to offer us than he has shown so far or indeed last night.
It was a sickening defeat last night, sickening because we didn't deserve it and we had thrown the game away rather than being beaten by a better side, United are a shadow of their former self and without Rooney and Van Persie they would have been well beaten, the way they celebrated last night beating a side like us reminded me of another side 23 or so years ago who had previously dominated the English Leagues and were suddenly finding they weren't the dominant force any more.