TOP reason why United boss Van Gaal is feeling the heat

'It was a poor game and we didn't create so much' 

'He (Matteo Darmian) was spitting blood' 

20-time English Premier League champions Manchester United lost at home to Southampton. 

Manchester United stayed in fifth place, one point above West Ham, but it was another depressingly dull day at Old Trafford where United were booed off after losing 1-0 to Southampton. 

Saints' Charlie Austin scored in the 87th-minute on his debut, heaping more pressure on United manager Louis van Gaal. 

Lacklustre United managed only one shot on target and have now gone eight hours 26 minutes without scoring in the opening half of a game at Old Trafford. 

Van Gaal conceded that his decision to throw winger Adnan Januzaj on for defender Cameron Borthwick-Jackson played a part in Saturday's 1-0 home Premier League defeat by Southampton. 

An inviting cross from the right flank presented Charlie Austin with a dream debut for the visitors and he powered home an unstoppable header three minutes from time. 

"I wanted to win this game and that's why I changed Borthwick-Jackson for Januzaj," said Van Gaal, whose side enjoyed a smash-and-grab 1-0 win at Liverpool last week despite a similarly listless display. 

"That is the risk you take, it was a poor game and we didn't create so much and neither did our opponents." 

"I had a feeling they could only score from set-play." 

A resolute Southampton repeated their success in the corresponding fixture last season when a Dusan Tadic goal gave them their first league victory at Old Trafford in 27

With their midfield stifled, United lacked any spark or creativity and their afternoon was summed up by several harmless efforts from lone striker Wayne Rooney. 

A mouse appearing on the pitch in the second half drew one of the loudest cheers from a subdued home crowd, who jeered Van Gaal down the tunnel. 

The Dutchman acknowledged United were feeling the heat again after the defeat ended a mini-revival following a very poor run in December. 

"Because you have to meet expectations and the expectations are very high, that gives a lot of pressure for the players," he said. 

"They (the fans) are right, I cannot deny that. We are working hard but we have a lot of injuries that you cannot change. 

"In better or for worse, we have to stick together." 

United defender Darmian 'was spitting blood'

Manchester United full back Matteo Darmian was taken to hospital after injuring his rib and chest during the 1-0 home defeat by Southampton. 

The Italian defender tried to prevent Shane Long getting to a cross and was hurt by the Southampton striker in an aerial challenge. 

"He was spitting blood," manager Louis van Gaal told reporters. "It was not nice for the players to see that." 

Darmian becomes the fifth United full back to join the injured list, joining Marcos Rojo, Antonio Valencia, Ashley Young and Luke Shaw.