Two goals from Belgian international Romelu Lukaku secured a dramatic 3-2 win for Manchester United over Southampton that lifts the  Red Devils back into the Premier League’s top four.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side looked to be heading for a fourth home game in a row without a win in all competitions after James Ward-Prowse converted a superb free-kick.

United, who lost Alexis Sanchez to injury, had overturned Yan Valery’s opener through Andreas Pereira and Lukaku only to see the lead slip away.

But Lukaku’s emphatic finish in the 88th minute was enough for all three points, even though Paul Pogba missed an injury-time penalty.

Lukaku was twice denied by Angus Gunn in the first five minutes, although United’s early rhythm was disrupted by treatment on a Scott McTominay head injury.

Saints’ increasing pressure told 26 minutes in, when Valery’s ferocious strike from 25 yards beat David de Gea at his left-hand post, even though he got hands to the ball.

United were struggling to impose themselves and suffered a further blow when Sanchez had to go off with a knee injury seven minutes after the restart.

However, they turned the scoreline around in a spectacular six-minute spell. First, Pereira curled a spectacular strike beyond Gunn from 25 yards out, before Lukaku got free in the box, cut onto his right foot and drilled a shot into the bottom-right corner.

The result moves United fourth on the EPL table, a point ahead of Arsenal and three behind Tottenham following the earlier 1-1 draw in the north London derby.