GATHERING his thoughts, Alex Ferguson observed that it was "one of those days" in his terse summary of destruction at The Dell. Yet Manchester United's manager knows that two debacles in seven days smacks of much more than recurrent misfortune.
Eleven goals conceded in two Premiership matches provides a clear message of decline in England's dominant footballing force. "Can we play you every week?" Southampton's faithful raucously implored, a chorus of enormous encouragement to all United's Championship rivals.
Against that, even Graeme Souness's calmer and well intended message had a slightly hollow ring. "United are still the team to beat," he said, having achieved that feat with style and distinction. Yet, overall, the evidence of a truly startling afternoon on the south coast was, fodder for United's detractors. This was the first time the champions have conceded six goals since losing 6-0 at Ipswich in the old First Division.
United's superstructure is being eroded on three fronts by the obvious distraction of the European Cup, by the sudden re emergence of defensive frailties that may well be exposed by much better teams than Fenerbahce and by the rash of indiscipline that taints United's bravura football.
The damage to personnel and pride could have been greater here: if Jeff Winter courted Ferguson's obvious wrath in sending Roy Keane off, his fourth dismissal in a United shirt, Keane's manager must have been mightily relieved by Cantona's astonishing escape a few seconds before halftime. United's captain, harried by his assiduous marker, van Gobbel, kicked and seemed to punch the Dutch defender before diving outlandishly as if to suggest he was sinned against as well as sinning.
Cantona, like Keane, had already been cautioned for dissent. Keane, a shade harshly, was shown a second yellow card for a late tackle on Lundekyam, the Frenchman went unpunished for an act meriting a red card in itself. It is testament to Ferguson's belief in his captain that Cantona was not substituted at half time.
In the afterglow of famous victory, Southampton were not in the mood to press the matter. Van Gobbel, after angrily remonstrating with Cantona, was conciliatory later. "I don't think it's a good thing for players to be sent off," he said, "it ruins the game." Souness said he did not see Cantona's act, but, referring to the Dutchman's awesome physique, said: "I saw who he was involved with. He (Cantona) must be very brave."
So Cantona remained, to little effect. United lost the injured Butt as well as Keane from midfield and then Pallister, with a recurrence of back trouble at half time. Throughout all that Beckham was a constant inspiration, conjuring hope for much of the second half of a memorable come back by United's 10 men.
Berkovic ended that with the crushing volley that started the flurry of four goals in the last seven frenetic minutes. The Israeli midfielder was at a brief loss for words to describe his second goal before saying: "It just dropped from the sky it was one of the prettiest goals I've scored."
Ostenstad, a tall and willing Norwegian striker, completed his hat trick with the aid of Gary Neville's finishing touch and, almost forgotten by now, Le Tissier provided the match's finest moment in outmanoeuvring May and Pallister before chipping Schmeichel.
It was a timely reminder to England with John Gorman, Glenn Hoddle's assistant, in the stand. The man himself shrugged his shoulders: "It might scrape into my top ten.
No one knows whether a full complement of United players, free from injury and fully focused, would have withstood the force of an exciting Southampton team being fashioned by Souness.
There is no doubt however in the manager's mind about Berkovic for a mere £1 million from Maceabi Haif, Southampton have signed an international player combining quickness with wonderful touch and vision.
Souness himself bestowed the highest raise: "I haven't seen anybody like that for a long, long time. I was a passer of the ball, but never in that league.
