Sergio Romero's inspired display wins misfiring Manchester United a point against Southampton

Southampton 0 Manchester United 0: Romero denied Saints striker Manolo Gabbiadini from the spot and made a number of other excellent saves to win United a point

Romero proved United's Europa League chances are in safe hands (Getty)

Sergio Romero showed why Jose Mourinho is willing to put Manchester United’s bid for Europa League glory in his hands with an inspired goalkeeping display as the Premier League draw specialists toiled to a 15th stalemate of the season on Wednesday night.

Romero’s first half penalty save to deny Southampton striker Manolo Gabbiadini was one of a series of excellent stops from the Argentine as Mourinho’s team once again failed to find their scoring touch.

Southampton had failed to score at St Mary’s in almost five hours of football but were gifted the chance to end that baron run with only five minutes played when Eric Bailly was penalised for handball.

Referee Mike Dean had no hesitation in pointing for a penalty, even though television replays showed the indiscretion took place outside the 18-yard area.

Manolo Gabbiadini, who scored twice against and tormented Jose Mourinho’s side in Southampton’s cruel EFL Cup final defeat at Wembley in February, confidently stepped up, but justice was done when Sergio Romero flung himself low to his right to push the ball behind for a corner.

Justice was done as Romero saved the spot-kick (Getty)

It was the third spot kick goal-shy Southampton have missed this season, more than any other Premier League club, and second in three homes matches.

Bailly almost made himself an unlikely goal hero for United moments later when he seized on indecision between Saints pair Matt Targett and Nathan Redmond before surging into the box and shooting straight at Fraser Forster.

Mourinho sprung a surprise by starting Wayne Rooney in a central striker’s role and the veteran rolled back the years with a delicate touch to pluck a long ball from the sky before producing a lovely through ball to set Anthony Martial through on goal.

Rooney’s good work went unrewarded as Martial rolled his shot harmlessly wide. Not for the first time this season the former England captain cut a frustrated figure.

Rooney cut a frustrated figure (Getty)

United started the match with much more energy and zest than in the recent drab defeats away at Arsenal and Tottenham and Henrikh Mkhitaryan was the latest to go close with a low 20th minute strike from the edge of the box, which Forster stretched to tip wide.

Despite publicly claiming this match would have no bearing on United’s season, Mourinho needed a victory to avoid the unwanted record of ending his maiden Old Trafford campaign with fewer points than both David Moyes and Louis van Gaal accumulated in their combined three years.

With that in mind Mourinho will have been agitated to see United go in level at half-time, even withstanding their early penalty escape.

Mourinho would have been frustrated his side didn't grab the lead (Getty)

Southampton’s lack of home goals is one of the major factors that have left manager Claude Puel battling to avoid the sack less than 12 months into a three-year contract.

Only relegated north east pair Middlesbrough and Sunderland have scored fewer goals in front of their own supporters and the penalty miss aside, Romero was rarely tested in the opening 45 minutes.

It was a different story at the start of the second half as the Argentine was called upon to beat away Dusan Tadic’s goal-bound free-kick after Phil Jones had clumsily hauled down Cedric Soares.

Romero came to United’s rescue once more soon afterwards, showing strong wrists to push out a powerful shot from Oriol Romeu after Chris Smalling had not properly dealt with a Southampton free-kick.

Romero made a number of important stops (Getty)

United’s stand-in goalkeeper was at his brilliant best once again in the 59th minute, throwing himself at full stretch to somehow claw away a superb James Ward-Prowse shot, which was heading for the top corner.

The danger was not done there as United and England defender Phil Jones had to head the ball behind from virtually underneath his own crossbar from Redmond’s teasing cross.

The traveling United supporters made up for the lack of entertainment from their team by going through their songbook and paying homage to former heroes such as Roy Keane and Jaap Stam. How Mourinho could do with those two in Sweden next week.

Puel's team spurned a number of good opportunities (Getty)

When it comes to their team spurning scoring chances, Mourinho and opposite number Puel could have swapped notes on the touchline and Juan Mata produced the latest contender for United’s in-house miss of the season competition 24 minutes from time.

Chris Smalling carried the ball half the length of the St Mary’s pitch before playing the ball into the feet of Rooney who tempted Forster to stray from his line, leaving Mata with a virtually unguarded net but the Spaniard got underneath his shot and blazed into the stands.

If ever a moment summed up a match – or a season in United’s case – it was that one and Mourinho will be praying his side can find their shooting boots against Ajax or their last chance of Champions League qualification will slip from their grasp.