Manchester United 2-0 Southampton: Premier League - as it happened

That is all for this particular live text, but stay tuned to IBTimes UK for post-match reaction and the latest from the Rio Olympics.

We will also be back tomorrow to bring you live coverage of a host of games including Tottenham vs Crystal Palace, Watford vs Chelsea, Burnley vs Liverpool and Leicester vs Arsenal.

Goodbye for now.

A comfortable win for United to maintain their 100% start to Mourinho's tenure. The manager will be delighted with Ibrahimovic, while Pogba really grew into the game after that shocking first touch.

The early signs look very positive at Old Trafford. Next up is a trip to newly-promoted Hull City and the small matter of the first Manchester derby of the season against Pep Guardiola's City.

As for Southampton, they host Sunderland next Saturday. It certainly wasn't all doom and gloom for the Saints tonight, but Puel will be acutely aware that their final ball/finishing has to improve.

Full-time

Manchester United 2-0 Southampton

Mkhitaryan has looked sharp since coming on. He tees up Pogba after a useful decoy run from Ibrahimovic, but the shot whistles wide of Forster's left-hand post.

That should be that.

After something of a hairy moment for De Gea, the fourth official signals three minutes of added time. Can toothless Southampton salvage even a consolation goal?

A spot of late showboating from Pogba is well received by the home crowd. So much for the £89m man not being able to last 90 minutes.

Redmond exchanges passes with Targett and Tadic attempts to wrap a first-time shot around Daley Blind and into the bottom corner. The ball sails wide.

A final throw of the dice from Puel. Jay Rodriguez replaces Long, who does not look at all happy with the decision. It's been a frustrating night for the affable Irishman.

Mourinho withdraws Martial in favour of Herrera. Pogba may well last the distance here. No obvious lack of fitness on his part.

Southampton win a free-kick in the United half, from which Van Dijk can only head well over. No lack of effort from the Saints here, but a comeback looks beyond them.

A difficult half-chance for Long from Cedric's cross as he tries to guide a near-post header on target but can only send it wide.

Mourino makes his first substitution with 15 minutes to go. Mata makes way for Mkhitaryan.

A second change from Puel sees Austin replace Davis.

Valencia then skips past Targett in style before standing the ball up for Ibrahimovic at the back post. He mistimes his header this time, however, and Rooney is flagged for offside as he attempts to turn in the loose ball.

Martial utilises his considerable pace to leave Fonte behind and advance into the Southampton box. Only a crucial late block Van Dijk stops him from extending United's lead even further.

He is then set up nicely by Ibrahimovic but the ball just runs away from him. Mourinho's side have looked every inch the title contenders during the last few minutes at Old Trafford.

United win a corner that Mata guides towards Pogba. The Frenchman beats Hojbjerg in the air but his header flies over the crossbar. How he would love to notch a debut goal here.

After an error from Ibrahimovic, Van Dijk burrows to the byline and manages to pull the ball back for Redmond. He tees up Clasie in space, but the Dutch midfielder's strike is wild and hurtles into the crowd.

30 minutes left for Southampton to try and get back into this game.

Southampton look to reduce the deficit, but Fonte cannot quite make contact with a header in the box and Redmond is unable to make his effort count at the back post.

Clumsy from Clasie as a trip on Shaw leads to referee Taylor pointing to the spot. Ibrahimovic then steps up to confidently dispatch his penalty into the bottom corner of the net.

Four goals and counting for the serial title winner. Southampton have a mountain to climb now.

Goal: Manchester United 2-0 Southampton (Zlatan Ibrahimovic)

Anthony Martial has not been overly involved in this game so far but he cuts inside Cedric and fires a warning shot that is saved by Forster.

Southampton probe patiently under little pressure and an incisive passing move leads to Tadic heading past De Gea from close range. Unfortunately for him, the assistant referee's flag is quickly raised.

An early second-half attempt from Mata fails to threaten Forster's goal.

The teams have re-emerged from the tunnel and the second 45 is off and running. No changes from either side at half-time.

Puel and Southampton will not be too discouraged, however. Their performance thus far has been an obvious improvement on last weekend's draw with Watford, although they still lack cutting edge with Redmond supporting Long up front.

That is perhaps to be expected with Mane and Pelle now gone. How long before we see Austin after the break?

So Ibrahimovic's third consecutive scoring turn has given United a narrow half-time lead. Mourinho will be massively encouraged by his form, while some of the passing patterns featuring the likes of Pogba and Mata have been very nice to watch.

Half-time

Manchester United 1-0 Southampton

Two minutes of added time to be played at the end of the first half.

Southampton looked to hit back quickly through Long and Davis has just fired harmlessly over De Gea's crossbar.

Fine work from Pogba to retain possession under difficult circumstances.

With that bullet header, Ibrahimovic is the 20th player to score on his Old Trafford debut in the Premier League era.

It's still early days, but those that never thought him capable of transferring his European success onto these shores are being made to look a little foolish. If this is to be his final year in the limelight, then he is determined to make the most of it.

Valencia's pass down the right is stopped from going out of play by Rooney, who is given ample time and space by a lacklustre Davis to pick out his cross.

He aims for Ibrahimovic and the confident Swede soars above Fonte to power a header past Forster. That's his third goal in as many games for his new club. What a start.

Goal: Manchester United 1-0 Southampton (Zlatan Ibrahimovic)

Southampton look to set Redmond clear but David de Gea comes racing off his line to collect.

A sloppy pass on the halfway line is then seized upon by the Saints and Tadic releases Long. With the imposing figure of Bailly bearing down quickly, he shoots tamely straight at the goalkeeper.

Mata sends a lovely lofted ball towards Ibrahimovic that an awkwardly positioned Van Dijk is unable to intercept.

Luckily for Southampton, the Dutch centre-back recovers to block the ensuing cross.

A lovely passage of play from United. Pogba's inventive chip intended for Mata is headed across goal to Ibrahimovic, who turns the ball wide. That would probably not have counted anyway given the high foot on Virgil van Dijk.

United fail to clear a Southampton free-kick and almost pay the price when Long lashes a shot narrowly wide. The away fans thought that was in.

It's Luke Shaw's turn to get forward now and United almost create an opening of their own but Rooney's floated ball towards Mata is cut out easily by Forster.

A real chance for Southampton as Davis picks out the dangerous run of Redmond. Behind United's back four, the speedy winger tries to find Tadic at the back post but overhits his cross and the opportunity goes begging.

Had that ball been better, then the Serbian would surely have scored.

Slightly sluggish defending from United. Targett makes inroads down that left-hand flank and his cross is laid off by Shane Long towards Tadic, who blazes the ball high and wide.

After being shepherded out of the box by Fonte, Ibrahimovic plays a good low pass to Pogba. The man of the moment, never normally one to lack confidence in his own abilities, wraps a decent shot that is held by towering goalkeeper Fraser Forster.

Romeu's face is a picture of disappointment and frustration as he is helped off the field by Southampton's medical staff. Jordy Clasie jogs on in his place.

Not the start that Puel would have wanted.

Valencia and Mata combine to good effect until the latter's clever return ball down the right channel is cleared for a corner by Steven Davis.

Romeu is experiencing further discomfort and will need to come off after just 10 minutes.

United retaining lots of possession now as Oriol Romeu sinks to the turf and requires medical treatment. We'll have a bit of a break in play here.

Good build-up play from United as they work the ball out wide for Valencia, who incidentally is the only player to start for the club during both of Pogba's debuts. His attempted cross is turned behind by young left-back Matt Targett.

Evidence of some understandable early anxiety there from Pogba as a miskick allows Hojbjerg to swiftly counter.

Southampton win a free-kick in a useful position to the left-hand side of the United box but Tadic drives straight into the wall.

The Saints are seeing plenty of the ball in the opening exchanges.

Referee Anthony Taylor gets us underway. United, wearing red shirts, white shorts and black socks, are kicking from right to left.

Southampton's black and grey away strip is something of a gem, it has to be said. Not quite sold on the Where's Wally socks, mind.

Less than five minutes remaining until kick-off.

Mourinho was certainly not afraid to criticise Chelsea's support when he saw fit during his second stint at Stamford Bridge, and this week he spoke of the importance of the Old Trafford crowd to his team's potential success..

Everything starts there: the relationship between the team and the fans. If a couple of thousand away supporters can be more noisy than 70,000, then we are in trouble. This would mean that there is no connection between the team and the supporters. If there is connection, then I think the factor of being really strong at home has to back.

Everything starts on the connection between the team and the fans. The way the team plays, the way they behave, the mental approach and, if the fans play [their part], there will be no chance for the opponent.

Plenty of attention focused upon this man during the warm-ups. How quickly can the world's most-expensive footballer make his mark after that painful Euro 2016 final defeat on home soil and a protracted transfer saga that seemed as if it would never end?

Here is what Puel has had to say ahead of his third visit to the Theatre of Dreams on this warm summer evening....

It's the third time for me that I have gone to Old Trafford. When I was manager of Lille, we played against United two times in the Champions League. One time we can eliminate Manchester in the group stage, and they finished fourth and us third.

It was a good memory, and the second time it was a bad memory, because we lost in the round of 16, 1-0 at home and 0-0 at Manchester, but it was a very good game and interesting for us, and we will see for this time. They have many, many players with great quality, to make the difference every time. We know this and it's important to see our play, and to give a good answer with our collective is the most important.

We have prepared with good training sessions for this game. It is just the second game of the season and it will be interesting to see my team against a very good team with great players and I think we can make a good game and perhaps take one or three points.

Although United obviously go into this game as favourites, it is worth noting that Southampton have won each of their last two visits to Old Trafford by a scoreline of 1-0. Debutant Austin notched just seven minutes after coming off the bench in January, while Tadic struck one year earlier to end the home side's 10-match unbeaten run.

As per the BBC, only Manchester City have won three consecutive away matches at United in the Premier League. The Red Devils also proved frugal on their own patch under Van Gaal and did not lose another home match in any competition after that.

Puel makes two alterations, with influential captain Fonte replacing Maya Yoshida. James Ward-Prowse also makes way for ex-Bayern Munich midfielder Hojbjerg.

No prizes for guessing the main headline from those lineups. Despite Mourinho's initial caution, Pogba starts to make his second United debut. Ander Herrera drops to the bench in the hosts' only change.

Still no place in the first XI for Mkhitaryan as Marouane Fellaini remains in favour. Smalling and Ashley Young are listed among the substitutes, although Lingard is still absent. Marcos Rojo, Michael Carrick and Memphis Depay are not included in the matchday squad at all.

Rooney makes his 600th appearance at club level.

Southampton: Forster, Cedric, van Dijk, Fonte, Targett, Romeu, Hojbjerg, Davis, Tadic, Long, Redmond

Subs: McCarthy, Yoshida, Pied, Clasie, Ward-Prowse, Rodriguez, Austin

Manchester United: De Gea, Valencia, Bailly, Blind, Shaw, Pogba, Fellaini, Mata, Rooney, Martial, Ibrahimovic

Subs: Romero, Smalling, Schneiderlin, Herrera, Young, Mkhitaryan, Rashford

The teams are in...

As for Saints casualties, left-back Ryan Bertrand is still recovering from a knee injury and Florin Gardos remains out. Jose Fonte, left on the bench against Watford after winning Euro 2016 with Portugal, will look to prove that recent links with a move to Manchester United are justified.

A positive impression on Mourinho could make all the difference.

Chris Smalling is also available once again following suspension, while Jesse Lingard is said to have recovered from a foot problem sustained during the Community Shield that ruled him out of that victory over Bournemouth. Henrikh Mkhitaryan will also be pushing to start having only featured as a late substitute in both of those matches.

Tonight's match is an 20.00 BST kick-off, so team news should begin to filter through shortly.

Mourinho has already hinted strongly that Pogba, prevented from playing any part last weekend due to a suspension carried over from the 2015/16 Coppa Italia that only seemed to become public knowledge in the days before the opener, is likely to begin on the bench having only trained for 10 days after his exertions for France at Euro 2016.

"Paul Pogba has been here more than a week. He has been here 10/11 days, he knows the club so the adaptation really easy," the Portuguese said at his pre-match press conference. "He knows everybody so no time is needed to adapt. Yes, he is ready to play. 90 minutes? I don't believe. Super performance? I don't believe. But he can play."

Eager to get started, Pogba himself has said: "You have to ask the manager, but I feel very good and have been training for 10 days. I am okay. I am quite used to this. I played the World Cup two years ago when at Juve and three years ago I was at the U20 World Cup as well. So I am okay. It is about your body and I have been training on my holidays."

While much of the pre-match narrative tonight has inevitably focused upon United, Mourinho and prodigal son Pogba, it's been another summer of change at Southampton brought about by a latest managerial poaching.

Seeking to recover quickly from Ronald Koeman's disappointing defection to newly-minted Everton, the Saints turned to Frenchman Claude Puel on a three-year deal after links to the likes of Manuel Pellegrini and Rudi Garcia.

The former Monaco, Lille, Lyon and Nice boss got off to a rather inauspicious against 10-man Watford at St Mary's last weekend, with debutant Nathan Redmond volleying home a Dusan Tadic corner to secure a 1-1 draw after the unlikely figure of Etienne Capoue had given the visitors an early lead. Ben Watson was dismissed for hauling down Shane Long in the second half as he looked to burst through on goal.

The Saints, who have also signed midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, full-back Jeremy Pied and goalkeeper Alex McCarthy after bidding farewell to Victor Wanyama, Graziano Pelle, Sadio Mane, Juanmi and Gaston Ramirez, notably lacked a cutting edge. Could Charlie Austin be the answer?

It's been a case of so far so good for Mourinho at United, with a late Community Shield victory over reigning Premier League champions Leicester City followed by a comfortable 3-1 triumph at Bournemouth last Sunday.

Juan Mata, who was expected to leave the club before this month's transfer deadline following the humiliation of being substituted at Wembley less than half an hour after being introduced himself, both started and opened the scoring following two hapless errors from Simon Francis at Dean Court to prove that he is capable of playing a significant part under the new regime.

Another player with a big point to prove, captain Wayne Rooney, notched a header shortly before the hour mark and summer signing Zlatan Ibrahimovic made it two goals in as many games four minutes later with an impressive long-range strike. With Eric Bailly proving dominant once again at centre-back, Adam Smith's goal proved nothing more than a consolation for the Cherries.

As if typically dominating the sporting agenda on Saturday, Sunday and Monday nights in addition to the occasional smattering of midweek fixtures was not quite enough for the Premier League, Manchester United host Southampton tonight in the first of 10 Friday night games to be contested this season.

The decision to stage matches on the eve of the weekend has not proved universally popular, with loyal match-going supporters facing no end of logistical problems. People have been quick to point out, for example, that the last train back for away fans departs Manchester Piccadilly before the game has actually finished at 21.15 BST. Traffic delays on the M6, M62 and M60 have provoked further fears on social media that many will not be present for kick-off.

Putting those concerns to the side for one moment, tonight's clash holds a lot of intrigue. In addition to the likely second debut of Paul Pogba following his £89m world-record return from Juventus, it also marks Jose Mourinho's first competitive home match at Old Trafford since succeeding Louis van Gaal in May. Wayne Rooney's testimonial stalemate against Everton definitely does not count.