David: If Southampton are smart, they'll direct all their attacks through McTominay & Maguire. That will probably result in a shot on goal, free kick, penalty or getting the United player a yellow card.

Cristiano Ronaldo "is a golden spanner in the works" at Manchester United, according to The Athletic's correspondent James Horncastle.

He says United's players have had to adapt their game to suit Ronaldo's and it's having a detrimental impact on their performances.

"You have this paradox where Ronaldo still comes up with his memorable highlights that generate a lot of reaction," he told the Euro Leagues podcast.

"But all they do is show up some of the flaws within the system and the dysfunctionality that's there at United.

"When a manager signs Ronaldo, they have to compromise on their philosophy and design a system around him. If you look at the other players he has eclipsed at United, like Bruno [Fernandes], they are a shadow of who they were.

Listen to the full discussion on Ronaldo's performances at United from 04'36 on BBC Sounds

Image source, Getty Images

Rangnick has said this week that it is 'obvious' Manchester United needs to buy a striker in the summer.

Cristiano Ronaldo's future is uncertain, while Edinson Cavani is out of contract this summer and Mason Greenwood currently unavailable. Marcus Rashford is very much in the building.

"This is obvious," said Rangnick of the situation. "Edinson's contract is running out in the summer and the club needs the best possible centre-forward. I think everyone is aware of that."

So for the time being they'll just have struggle through with a five-time Ballon d'Or winner who is the leading goalscorer in international football history, an elite striker with over 350 career goals to his name and an established England international.

Any advances on Chris' eight players to keep?

Gonna be some very expensive signings on that scrap heap.

Chris: As a Utd supporter of more than 50 years, I just made a list of the 26 strong squad. Wrote: Keep, sell, gone next to each name - I'm keeping 8 players, and that's a stretch!

BBC One

Football Focus is just getting under way on BBC One. You can watch that on your telly the traditional way, on iPlayer or via this page (play button at the top) and the BBC Sport app.

Shamoon Hafez
BBC Sport at Old Trafford

The Premier League weekend starts at Old Trafford today as Manchester United host Southampton on this dull and dreary lunchtime.

It's Ralf v Ralph as experienced German Rangnick takes on Austrian protege Hasenhuttl. The pair spent to seasons together at RB Leipzig before Hasenhuttl left the club in 2018.

All is not rosy at the Theatre of Dreams, with United coming into this game following two poor results and star forward Cristiano Ronaldo has not scored in his last five games.

Rangnick is battling some big characters in that dressing room and results need to start going his way, or too will go the way of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and others before him.

Judith: Looking at the teams you might not be thinking 9-0 but certainly United are massive favourites. But, we know football doesn't work like that where my team are concerned. Frankly I will be happy if we achieve the zero part of last season's score.

Image source, Getty Images

Southampton boss Ralph Hasenhuttl is feeling confident as he prepares to take his side to Old Trafford for the first time since a 9-0 thrashing last February.

The Saints are in good form after beating Spurs in midweek and he says their goal is "to make it better this time" against Ralf Rangnick's Manchester United side.

"Everybody knows the special situation last season," he said. "We were one man down after one minute, two men after 70 minutes. It was a very young team.

"I must say this game didn't hurt as much as the first time with that result [against Leicester in the 2019-20 season], but we cannot deny it happened.

"I have never felt afraid of any team when going to their stadium. We have picked up points at nearly every ground we have been to and if you're scared you should stay at home.

"Games away to the top six are especially difficult, but this is the challenge we want to have.

"We will be ready to show tomorrow that we are better than last time."

Image source, Getty Images

Of course, we all remember what happened last time these two sides met at Old Trafford.

Harry Maguire really has become a lightning rod for Manchester United frustration hasn't he?

Some fans always need a whipping boy in any side, though, don't they? Someone to unleash all that pent up anger on when things don't go right.

BBC Radio 5 Live

Today, we've got live text commentaries on the Premier League (that'd be this one) as well as today's EFL games and also the Club World Cup final between Chelsea and Palmeiras.

You'll also be able to listen online to an array of BBC radio commentaries from the action in the FA Trophy, National League, National League North & National League South.

On BBC Radio 5 Live, Mark Chapman is the host from 12:00 GMT, bringing you updates from Old Trafford, followed by full commentary of the game at Goodison Park between Everton and Leeds at 15:00.

On BBC One at 12:00, Alex Scott is joined by Fara Williams and Dion Dublin to preview a big weekend of football on Football Focus, with reaction to the mid-week Premier League games, and interviews with Luke Shaw and Dean Smith.

Jason Mohammad brings you all the goals, action and incident on Final Score at 16:30 GMT.

Absolutely no surprise to see Saints unchanged after the display at Tottenham.

By any measure, that Manchester United XI is a really strong one.

Shamoon Hafez
BBC Sport at Old Trafford

Manchester United make one change from the side that drew 1-1 against Burnley on Tuesday.

Cristiano Ronaldo starts up front in place of Edinson Cavani, the Portuguese is currently on a run of five-games without a goal.

Man Utd XI: De Gea, Dalot, Varane, Maguire, Shaw, Pogba, McTominay, Rashford, Fernandes, Sancho, Ronaldo.

Southampton are unchanged from their impressive 3-2 comeback at Tottenham last time out.

Southampton XI: Forster, Walker-Peters, Bednarek, Salisu, Perraud, S Armstrong, Ward-Prowse, Romeu, Elyounoussi, Broja, Adams.

The team news is in for the game at Old Trafford...

Image source, Rex Features

As a sign of just how short-term Southampton have been, if the Austrian does see out his current deal, he'll become the longest-serving Saints manager since Chris Nicholl. He was boss from 1985 to 1991.

As you'll see from the above picture, dugouts have come a long way.

Image source, Getty Images

Saints come into today's game off the back of a spanking result away at Tottenham, in which they scored twice in the last 10 minutes to win 3-2.

That result moved them into the top half of the Premier League and a win today will see them break 30 points. It flies firmly in the face of those who were once again tipping the club to be in the relegation mix.

Interestingly, Hasenhuttl has said he will consider retiring once his contract at Southampton expires in 2024. If things continue like this, I'm sure the Saints board will be moving heaven and earth to try and change that.

Image source, Getty Images

Standing in Manchester United and their boss Ralf Rangnick's way is his old mucker Ralph Hasenhuttl. I say "old mucker" but I'm not sure that's entirely true. It's complicated.

Rangnick actually brought Hasenhuttl to RB Leipzig to work under him, and was apparently the only man he was prepared to employ in the coaches job at that time. The Austrian got off to a flier, leading the club to a second-finish in their maiden Bundesliga season in 2016-17.

Over the course of their time working together, it is said they butted heads over some issues, including tweaks to the team's playing style.

What unites them to the end, though, is their adherence to a high-energy, front-foot pressing game.

So this lunchtime fixture has the potential to be an awful lot of fun, between two sides looking to close down high right from the off. A press-off, if you like.