GOALKEEPER Aaron Ramsdale admitted Saints "stopped doing the things" that put them 1-0 ahead at Manchester United, leading to a collapse.
Saints looked on course to secure their first away win of the season and were in front until the 82nd minute at Old Trafford, thanks to a Manuel Ugarte own goal.
That was until Amad struck a 12-minute hat-trick to turn the game around, win 3-1 and leave Saints rooted to the bottom of the table still on six points.
Amad's third was the easiest of the bunch after he stole the ball from Taylor Harwood-Bellis inside the box before drilling into a practically vacated net.
We can't keep up 😵
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) January 16, 2025
Amad secures a HATTRICK in just 12 minutes! 😱
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/ocAsnhl5KS
Ramsalde insisted he was only gutted for Harwood-Bellis, who had typified Southampton's resolute defending in the first 75 minutes.
"I thought he was immense today," he said. "He passed out from the back, he made three or four huge blocks, tracked runners and stepped into midfield when he needed to.
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"It's not easy against Bruno Fernandes, Alejandro Garnacho and Amad. Antony when he came on. The last goal is by the by, he just got caught.
"He was probably thinking United wouldn't be pressing at 2-1 up and that happens. At that point, we had let the game slip ourselves.
"That is down to mentality, anxiousness, nervousness with being away at Old Trafford and winning 1-0. We stopped doing the things that got us in that position."
Southampton were forced to pay for their missed opportunities and should have been out of sight before United's late turnaround.
Ivan Juric on Kamaldeen Sulemana: "Since I arrived here, he's working well. I think he had quality. I don't know why in these two years he didn't express himself. Now he has to just continue playing like this, he's really good."#SaintsFC
— Alfie House (@AlfieHouseEcho) January 16, 2025
Kamaldeen Sulemana, who had the beating of Leny Yoro all evening, came agonisingly close to doubling the lead when he rolled an effort just past the post.
Only two of Southampton's 13 efforts came after the 78th minute, exemplifying the shift in momentum that supporters in the ground experienced.
"We should have scored more," Ramsdale insisted. "Onana made a few fantastic saves. I'm a goalie lover but we have to score. We can't just kick it at him in that situation.
"If the game finished at 75 minutes we would be saying how well we did, but we've ended up with a 3-1 loss. It's tough to take.
"That's what has gone on for most of our season, give or take a few games where we have been beaten or beaten ourselves. We've been in a lot of the games this year but we are always talking about losing."
