A number of corners and free-kicks looked to create fruitful opportunities for the Reds to turn one point into three at St Mary’s but they ultimately lacked the finishing touch throughout.
This was apparent particularly in the first half, with the deadlock yet to be broken, as Anthony Martial had a header bundled away from the line after a dangerous Bruno Fernandes free-kick from the right before Paul Pogba twice went close from Luke Shaw’s dead-ball deliveries from the opposite flank.
In the closing minutes of the opening half, Victor Lindelof then connected with a corner from the left and forced Saints goalkeeper Alex McCarthy into a low save to keep it out.