Manchester United are seeking respite when they welcome newly-promoted Sunderland to Old Trafford.
The Red Devils suffered another embarrassing defeat last weekend to plunge them back into crisis, losing 3–1 to Brentford on their travels to cancel out any confidence built from the previous weekend’s victory over Chelsea. Ruben Amorim is hanging onto his position in the hot seat by the thinnest of threads ahead of the international break.
United’s inability to beat Brentford means they are still awaiting back-to-back Premier League victories under Amorim, but they can clinch a third successive home win by beating Sunderland. Overcoming the Black Cats will be no easy feat, though.
Sunderland have enjoyed a favourable run of fixtures at the beginning of the term but have still impressed with both results and performances on their return to the top flight. They sit fifth heading into the weekend having won three and drawn two of their six league outings.
With Old Trafford a far cry from the impenetrable fortress it once was, Sunderland will have few concerns heading to the venue for the first time since December 2016—even if United’s only victories this season have come on home soil.
Here is Sports Illustrated’s guide to a crucial encounter for the Red Devils.
What Time Does Man Utd vs. Sunderland Kick-Off?
- Location: Manchester, England
- Stadium: Old Trafford
- Date: Saturday, Oct. 4
- Kick-off Time: 3 p.m. BST / 10 a.m. ET / 7 a.m. PT
- Referee: Stuart Attwell
- VAR: Neil Davies
Man Utd vs. Sunderland Head-to-Head Record (Last Five Games)
- Man Utd: 4 wins
- Sunderland: 1 win
- Draws: 0
- Last meeting: Sunderland 0–3 Man Utd (April 9, 2017) - Premier League
Current Form (All Competitions)
How to Watch Man Utd vs. Sunderland on TV
Man Utd Team News
Manchester United have welcomed Amad Diallo and forgotten full back Tyrell Malacia back to training this week. The former missed the defeat at Brentford due to a family bereavement but will be available to play against the club he once dazzled with on loan.
Casemiro is also available for selection having served his one-match suspension against the Bees, with the Brazilian likely to come straight back into the starting XI on Saturday.
Noussair Mazraoui is missing, however, while long-term absentee Lisandro Martínez still leaves a gaping hole in the United defence.
Man Utd Predicted Lineup vs. Sunderland
Man Utd predicted lineup vs. Sunderland (3-4-2-1): Bayındır; Yoro, De Ligt, Shaw; Dalot, Casemiro, Fernandes, Dorgu; Mbeumo, Cunha; Šeško.
Sunderland Team News
Sunderland will be without Reinildo once again as the defender continues to serve a three-match suspension, while Régis Le Bris has confirmed that Habib Diarra, Dennis Cirkin, Romaine Mundle, Aji Alese and Leo Hjelde are all absent.
The Sunderland boss is unlikely to make too many alterations from the team that beat Nottingham Forest last time out, with Arthur Masuaku continuing in place of the suspended Reinildo.
Wilson Isidor will lead the line having scored three already in the Premier League, while Granit Xhaka’s midfield experience will be crucial to Sunderland coming away from Old Trafford with a positive result.
Sunderland Predicted Lineup vs. Man Utd
Sunderland predicted lineup vs. Man Utd (4-2-3-1): Roefs; Hume, Mukiele, Alderete, Masuaku; Xhaka, Sadiki; Talbi, Rigg, Le Fée; Isidor.
Man Utd vs. Sunderland Score Prediction
Predicting which iteration of United we will witness on Saturday is nigh on impossible given the inconsistency of Amorim’s side, but the Red Devils will take solace from their home form despite recent difficulties.
United have saved their strongest performances for Old Trafford in clashes with Arsenal, Burnley and Chelsea, and they have the attacking personnel to unlock Sunderland’s defence. Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo have shown signs of life early in their United careers, while Benjamin Šeško opened his account at Brentford last time out.
Sunderland have surprised many this season and will feel confident heading to Manchester. They should make life challenging for the Red Devils, but will still be underdogs on Saturday afternoon.
Prediction: Man Utd 2–1 Sunderland
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Man Utd vs. Sunderland: Preview, Predictions and Lineups.
