Southampton midfielder Victor Wanyama has admitted that Monday's 2-1 defeat to Manchester United is a bitter pill to swallow.

Robin van Persie struck twice, with Graziano Pelle bagging a first-half equaliser as United snatched three points at St Mary's after registering just two shots on target.

The Dutchman capitalised on an error from Jose Fonte to fire his side ahead on 12 minutes, before volleying a 71st-minute winner past a suspect Fraser Forster, and Wanyama says that "awful" defending contributed to the Saints' downfall.

"We are very disappointed. It's very painful to lose like today. I thought we were the better side and we didn't deserve to lose," he told the club's official website.

"We concede two easy goals and I think the game was there to be won, so we're disappointed that we didn't take care of it.

"We had chances but also the two goals we conceded, they were a bit awful, so sometimes you know it is not good to take easy goals like that."

Ronald Koeman's side sit fifth in the Premier League table, one point adrift of fourth-placed West Ham United.