Ronald Koeman: 'Santa Claus came early for Robin van Persie'

Southampton manager Ronald Koeman has rued his team's defending after gifting Robin van Persie "two presents" in tonight's 2-1 defeat to Manchester United.

The Dutchman bagged a brace at St Mary's as United leapfrogged the Saints into third in the Premier League table, with Koeman irked at the manner of both goals.

Van Persie capitalised on Jose Fonte's error to open the scoring on 12 minutes, before volleying home a 71st-minute winner after Fraser Forster opted against collecting a deep cross.

"Van Persie was the difference tonight because he got two presents but when he gets those kind of presents, he scores. We didn't," Koeman told Sky Sports News.

"He took advantage of our mistakes with his quality and that was the difference."

The result represents Southampton's third successive defeat, having gone down to Manchester City and Arsenal in the past eight days.