Southampton face Manchester United at St Mary’s on Sunday afternoon hoping to continue their impressive start to the 2020/21 Premier League season.

Ahead of the weekend’s fixtures, the Saints currently sit fifth in the top-flight, whilst Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side are 11th.

If Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side are to pick up all three points against the Red Devils, they may have to keep Bruno Fernandes quiet, with the Portuguese midfielder having enjoyed a superb start to the season.

The former Sporting Lisbon man has contributed six goals and three assists in eight top-flight appearances so far this season, resulting in a superb average rating of 7.75 (per WhoScored).

This comfortably ranks him as United’s best performer in the top-flight, so Southampton will surely consider him the danger man for the away side and will give themselves a good chance of winning if they can keep the attacking-midfielder quiet.

Fortunately for the South Coast club, they have, on current form, one of the best defensive-minded midfielders in the Premier League in Oriol Romeu.

The Spaniard, who committed to a new contract with the Saints earlier this month, has enjoyed an excellent start to the season under Hasenhuttl and has been a big reason why Southampton currently sit just outside the top four spots.

In nine Premier League appearances, the 29-year-old has averaged a very sold 7.09 rating, which ranks him as Southampton’s fifth-best performer so far this season (per WhoScored).

During the game against United, Romeu may be tasked with man-marking Fernandes, in an attempt to limit his influence on the game, and if he can get the better of Solskjaer’s star man, there seems no reason why the Saints can’t pick up all three points.

WhoScored suggests that the former Chelsea man likes to tackle and block the ball, whilst he also commits fouls often, so he seems the ideal man to frustrate Fernandes and potentially mark him out of the game.

Earlier this year, Hasenhuttl was full of praise for the way Romeu had responded when he was kept out of the team by Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, saying:

“It is fantastic from my side that Ori comes to me and says, ‘Coach I didn’t play so much in the last time I need a game’ – it’s fantastic.

“It shows what an unbelievable professional he is. To be honest I’ve never seen anyone like him – professional wise. It’s fantastic.” (per Daily Echo)

Romeu has certainly done an astute job replacing Hojbjerg after he joined Tottenham Hotspur in the summer, and Hasenhuttl will need him to be at his very best once again on Sunday if the Saints are to pick up three points against Manchester United.

And, in other news… Southampton should consider loaning out 21 y/o who is “the perfect example of the Southampton way”