FULL TIME: Sunderland 2-1 Manchester United
Van Aanholt tears into the United box down the left, and lashes an ambitious shot into the side netting. A chance for one last United attack? No, not really. The whistle blows, and Sunderland have their first home league win over United since 1997! A deserved victory in the end, and one that - for now, at least - takes them above Norwich City into 18th place, and within a point of safety. Sam Allardyce raises both hands in triumph - it’s his first win over United for 14 years, since his days at Bolton Wanderers - while Louis van Gaal wanders off looking drained. United’s title hopes look ever-more distant, fourth place perhaps even a struggle now. As for Sunderland, another great escape is on!
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90 min +3: Borini, Rodwell and N’Doye combine well down the left. They’re going nowhere fast, but that’s not the point: it’s all about possession. And that clock keeps on ticking.
90 min +2: A couple of free kicks for Sunderland in the middle of the park. The clock is their friend right now, and an enemy of United.
90 min +1: A long ball into the Sunderland mixer. Rooney heads down, and nearly finds Memphis on the spot, but Kone blooters clear.
90 min: There will be four added minutes.
89 min: Manchester United scream for a penalty kick. Martial, to the right of the Sunderland goal, hooks a ball back for Memphis, who hits first time towards the bottom right. The ball hits O’Shea on his forearm, but his arms are tucked into his tummy: given the Rooney decision earlier, that’d have been harsh on Sunderland. United don’t get it, anyway, and will have to settle for a corner. Nothing comes from the set piece.
88 min: It does look as though Sunderland’s second will go down as a De Gea own goal, as Memphis stopped the ball on the line, only for it to squirt off the keeper’s back. That’ll be tight on Kone.
87 min: Memphis twists and turns down the left. He’s been lively since he came on. He creams a shot towards the top right, but Mannone parries strongly.
86 min: And now United replace Schneiderlin with Keane.
85 min: Sunderland hook Cattermole, and replace him with Toivonen.
84 min: It might be harsh to criticise De Gea for that: Kone thumped that header downwards, and you can’t stop everything. Martial didn’t react on the line, though, and Smalling had been totally lost by Kone’s movement at the corner. On the touchline, the blood drains from Van Gaal’s face.
GOAL! Sunderland 2-1 Manchester United (Kone 82)
Now it’s Borini’s turn to get goal side of Borthwick-Jackson down the Sunderland right. He earns a corner off Blind. From the first, Cattermole wins another corner off Memphis. Then from the second, Kone crashes a header down and goalwards from eight yards. It should be stopped by either De Gea or Martial on the line, but it squirts between the pair - Martial might have gently kicked it off the back of his keeper, in which case it’s technically a De Gea own goal - and the Stadium of Light erupts! Suddenly, Sunderland are eight minutes plus stoppages away from their first-ever league win over United since leaving Roker!
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81 min: Borthwick-Jackson has been much more impressive in attack than defence today. He drops a shoulder to skin Borini down the left, and enters the Sunderland box. A pull back finds Memphis, whose attempt to curl one into the bottom right is weak.
79 min: Love cuts in from the right and is very nearly released into the area after a quick, crisp one-two with Rooney. Not quite. But not far off. Commendable ambition from the young man.
77 min: Borthwick-Jackson, whipping in from the left, wins a corner for United on the right. The ball’s worked back to the left wing, where Rooney loops into the mixer from deep. Smalling threatens to head home from close range, but Kone bundles it out for another set piece. So close. Blind puts the second corner straight out of play on the left. This game is deliciously poised: it really could go either way.
75 min: Borini has a chance to spring N’Doye free down the inside-left channel, having turned nicely into a lot of space in the midfield, with Sunderland on the break. But he hesitates, and the chance is gone.
73 min: Mata takes a speculative shot from 25 yards down the inside-right channel. Mannone’s always going to gather that.
72 min: Kone, of all people, twists and turns down the left and curls a rising shot towards the top left. De Gea spectacularly fingertips over: one for the scrapbook in truth, as he was never getting beaten from that angle. The corner sees Van Aanholt lash wildly over the bar from a position on the left.
71 min: Sunderland make their second change. Defoe, a doubt before the match, isn’t risked for the whole 90. Borini comes on in his place.
68 min: Now it’s United’s turn to get their goal attempt counter whirring around. Memphis makes a nuisance of himself down the left. The ball breaks to Mata, in space on the penalty spot. He whacks goalwards, but Rodwell arrives to block wonderfully. For a second, it looked like United would be adding positively to the most important stat of all. But that’s fine defending, rather than a missed opportunity by Mata.
67 min: Here’s an interesting stat: United have made just over 300 passes, Sunderland just over 100. But the home side have 16 goal attempts to the visiting team’s six. Make that 17: Khazri chests down and tries to cream one goalwards on the turn from 29 yards. But it’s well wide right.
65 min: Khazri sends a fairly harmless dipping effort towards the bottom right. De Gea gathers with a yawn. United go up the other end, Memphis testing Yedlin a little, but he’s unable to work the space for a decent cross.
64 min: Love carelessly brings down Khazri, 25 yards from goal in a central position. Neither of United’s young full backs look on their game right now. A free kick in a very inviting position for Sunderland.
63 min: Memphis comes on for Lingard.
62 min: N’Doye tears past Borthwick-Jackson down the inside-right channel, and into the Sunderland box. He shoots low towards the bottom left, but De Gea sticks out a leg to brilliantly save. Yet another victory for the United keeper in a one-on-one. Is there a better keeper in the world? Corner, from which Kone attempts an overhead kick. Not quite, eh.
60 min: Yedlin goes on a long ramble down the right wing. He’s got Borthwick-Jackson in a bit of trouble as he backpedals furiously. But Blind comes over to double up, and eventually Yedlin runs the ball out of play. The Sunderland man had options in the centre.
59 min: M’Vila is a thorn in United’s side right now. He’s upended by Mata, who had miskicked and cynically took his man down: booking for Mata. Then he’s clattered by Carrick: booking for Carrick. The yellow cards are mounting up.
58 min: Lingard, to the right of the Sunderland D, cocks his leg back to shoot. It’s a dangerous position, but M’Vila tracks back and nips the ball away before Lingard can shoot.
56 min: A long ball down the United right. Penny for Allardyce’s thoughts. With Rooney pressing dangerously, O’Shea does well to bundle the ball back to Mannone, who hammers clear.
54 min: Sunderland are on top right now. Van Aanholt makes good into the area down the left, Love nowhere to be seen. He fires low towards the near post, where Defoe looks to turn the ball home. Blind slides across, in the nick of time, to bundle out for a corner. Nothing comes from the set piece.
52 min: On BT Sport, Howard Webb suggests that should have been a penalty kick, as Rooney’s arm was in an unnatural position. It’d have been a controversial one, that’s for sure. From the resulting corner, incidentally, Van Aanholt crashed a strange header from six yards straight across the face of goal when it was surely easier to get the ball on target.
50 min: It’s whipped towards the near post. O’Shea looks to flick goalwards. Rooney turns it round for a corner. That came off his hand, which was above his head, though the close proximity of the players to each other presumably informed the decision to let that one go. If the referee didn’t, it was a penalty and a second yellow for Rooney! But that would have been super harsh; he was right on O’Shea’s back.
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49 min: N’Doye looks to burst past Borthwick-Jackson on the right. Khazri will take the free kick.
47 min: And now news of some actual action: Cattermole has a belt from distance, and his shot is nearly deflected into the path of Defoe on the penalty spot. The planets don’t align for the hosts, though, and United mop up.
And we're off again!
Manchester United get the ball rolling for the second half. No changes. Rooney is booked for a cynical clip on Cattermole, as the midfielder scoots off upon the United man miscontrolling. Incidentally, O’Shea was booked at the end of the first half for a foul on Lingard, but the card wasn’t immediately shown due to play having been waved on awhile.
Half-time entertainment: Here’s Sunderland winning at the home of the 1968 European Champions elect. The winner a lovely header from George Mulhall, and a typically brilliant consolation strike by George Best.
HALF TIME: Sunderland 1-1 Manchester United
And so an entertaining first half comes to an end. United have been dominant, but Sunderland have had their chances, so the scoreline’s about right. Should make for an excellent second half. No flipping!
45 min +3: M’Vila has a whack from the best part of 30 yards. Nope!
45 min +2: In the second of four added minutes, Rodwell goes on a dangerous run down the right and upon entering the box gets a wild shot away.
44 min: Martial makes good on the left and slides the ball inside for Rooney, who very nearly finds Love bombing into the area on the right. A poor pass. That could very easily have been a picture-book goal, had Love been allowed to meet that on the run.
42 min: ... Lingard floats a cross in from the left. Smalling should at least get a header on target from the right-hand corner of the six-yard box, but he mistimes his jump and that’s a goal kick. A chance to really turn the screw on Sunderland there.
41 min: Just before the goal, Yedlin was booked for an egregious dive as he tried to nip past Carrick in the midfield. It’s all going United’s way now. And they’ve just won a corner down the left, from which...
GOAL! Sunderland 1-1 Manchester United (Martial 39)
Mata, from the left-hand corner of the Sunderland D, sends a powerful curler towards the bottom left. Mannone parries it brilliantly, but the ball squirts to the left. Martial homes in on the loose ball. He takes a little shuffle before connecting, to set himself perfectly, then pitching-wedges a delicate chip over the prone keeper and into the net from a very tight angle. That might just be a tap-in, but it’s a hell of an exquisite one. What a finish! No more than United deserve on balance.
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38 min: Darmian looks in serious pain. He’s hooked his arm inside his shirt, a makeshift sling, and he’s off down the tunnel. The Scotland under-21 right back Donald Love comes on in his stead.
36 min: Khazri and Darmian go in for a 50-50 down the United left. No foul, no free kick, and no intent, but Darmian crumples in a heap. He’s landed awkwardly on his left shoulder, by the looks of it. He’s in some pain, and requires treatment.
34 min: United continue to exert pressure on the hosts. Sunderland can’t get out of their half. Martial and Mata combine well down the left. Then Borthwick-Jackson crosses to the near post. Mannone punches out, but only to Carrick, who shapes to shoot on the edge of the box. He’s blocked by Rodwell. The ball flies out to the left of goal, and it should be a corner, but Sunderland get the goal kick.
31 min: United respond well, winning a couple of corners that come to nothing. Mata is their star man right now. He curls a gorgeous cross in from the left, forcing Mannone to flap and O’Shea to concede one of those corners with a header that denies a lurking Martial. Then he takes a first-time lash with the side of his foot from the edge of the box: well struck, but straight at the keeper. Much better from the away side.
28 min: Sunderland enjoy a period of dominance, Rodwell squirting a diagonal shot wide left from the right of the D. Then Khazri glides in from the left and isn’t far away with an ambitious curler towards the top right. United aren’t exactly clinging on, but they need to watch themselves here.
25 min: Khazri cuts in from the left and hits a rising shot goalwards. It clanks Schneiderlin’s arm inside the area. No penalty, it wasn’t intentional - Schneiderlin was turning away - yet you’ve seen them given by generous referees when a hand’s that far away from the player’s body. The correct decision, though.
24 min: Rodwell bustles his way past Carrick down the left. He’s in acres of space, but Carrick has gone down in the experienced style, feeling an arm on his shoulder, and that’s a free kick. Allardyce doesn’t agree. He’s up and chewing furiously. Then another Sunderland attack, as Darmian puts his arm across Khazri with the Sunderland man threatening to make ground down the same wing. Sunderland don’t get that decision, and Big Sam is now tap-dancing in a very manic manner. He’s beyond displeased.
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22 min: Mata wants to send Darmian free down the right, but the full-back doesn’t move. Eventually the pair exchange static passes, and Mata’s caught offside as Sunderland push up. A chance to launch a dangerous attack passed up there.
21 min: Defoe causes a bit of bother in the United area, but his back’s to goal and he’ll not be getting a shot away. He tries to feed Van Aanholt into space with a clever backheel down the inside-left channel, but Darmian’s read that well.
19 min: Yedlin throws long from the right, into the United area. The visitors only half clear, allowing Van Aanholt to have a dig from 20 yards. He screws it wide right, horribly so. That was a decent half-chance. United flood up the other end, Darmian skittering into space on the right. But his attempted low cross is mishit and easily cleared. A nice end-to-end feel to this game. And a slightly strange one: United could easily be a couple of goals down, and yet they’ve been the better team in terms of possession and territory. It’ll be a surprise if this ends 1-0.
18 min: United were beginning to work up a head of steam there, so Sunderland, in the professional style, faff around in the midfield over a throw for a while. Rhythm successfully disrupted.
16 min: Kirchhoff can’t continue, and Rodwell comes on in his stead. United are pushing Sunderland back right now. They pass the ball hither and yon, but Sunderland hold their shape. Eventually Martial gets frustrated and concedes a cheap free kick. Pressure’s off.
15 min: Kirchhoff has left the field of play to receive some more treatment. Sunderland are currently down to ten men. Darmian whistles down the right and fires a low cross into the area for Lingard. But O’Shea reads the play well, steps in between the pair, and blooters clear.
13 min: A corner for United on the right. Blind’s delivery isn’t all that good; O’Shea clears under pressure from Carrick. Meanwhile Kirchhoff suddenly clasps the back of his leg, grimaces, and goes down. Looks like hamstring bother.
11 min: More space for N’Doye on the right. He whips a cross straight through the United box. The ball’s recycled out on the left wing. Cattermole takes up possession on the edge of the D, and flicks forward to Defoe, who has space on the penalty spot, United’s defence all over the place. Blind and Smalling do enough to put the striker off; he miskicks out of play to the left of the goal. But he should have scored. Sunderland should be two up.
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8 min: Mata looks in the mood. Again he’s making the play, dropping deep and sliding a pass down the middle of the park, nearly releasing Rooney into the box. Kone, sliding back, intercepts, though nearly pokes the ball into the bottom right of his own goal. Mannone, scampering back, smothers to save his team-mate’s blushes.
7 min: Replays of that Rooney sortie: Mata had flicked a lovely ball down the inside-left channel, but he didn’t fancy volleying it first time. Having waited for it to drop, the door slammed shut. Meanwhile Sunderland went up the other end through N’Doye down the right. A decent cross into the middle nearly found Defoe, but Smalling intercepted the pass well.
Photograph: Phil Noble/Reuters
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5 min: Rooney tries to respond instantly by busying himself in the Sunderland area to the left of goal, but can’t get a shot away. The Stadium of Light was bouncing already before that early strike, but it’s cooking now.
GOAL! Sunderland 1-0 Manchester United (Khazri 3)
Darmian in defence now, taking down Van Aanholt on the Sunderland left. Sunderland load the box for the free kick. Khazri, out on the left, hits it in low from the wing. Defoe steps over it, trying to get a flick. He fails to connect. But the ball bounces through a thicket of players, past a slow-to-react De Gea, off the right-hand post, and into the net. All the way through! What a start for the home side.
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2 min: United stroke it around awhile in the midfield. Carrick drops deep to the left of the centre circle, then quarterbacks a diagonal pass towards Darmian, already showing attacking intent down the right, on the edge of the box. Darmian’s offside.
And we're off!
Sunderland get the ball rolling. Defoe immediately goes on a determined run into United territory, but is bundled off the ball quickly enough. There’s a raucous atmosphere at the Stadium of Light.
The teams are out! Sunderland are in their famous red and white striped shirts with black shorts, while Manchester United play in Sharp Viewcam black shirts and strangely unsettling white shorts. It’s a dreich day on Wearside. Hail earlier, though that’s passed. We’ll be off in a minute!
And now Sam Allardyce’s turn. “I certainly hope I can be Sunderland’s saviour. We’ve got to try not to leave it too late. Last year’s escape was when the team got to single matches, and there’s still a way to go before that, so we’ve got to try to pick up as many points as we can. We’ve had a pretty bad week with injuries, which has left us a little short, but we go again against Manchester United and hope we can hit the level we reached against Manchester City here. We need to score a goal or two if we can. We went right to the end at Liverpool; it shows you what difference a goal makes, they started backing off and we were on the front foot. A fantastic goal by Jermain Defoe, who passed a fitness test for us this morning. He felt a tight hamstring yesterday. He says he’s fit today, so we’re happy about that. Manchester United are in good form and always difficult, but if we’re at our best level, hopefully it’ll be good enough to get something today.”
Louis van Gaal speaks! Do United have to win this afternoon? “You are right. I cannot say it better. Fellaini is injured, more or less. He has played a lot of matches in a row and I have to rotate. I am resting him, but of course then you are close to being injured. We are playing in the football style I always want from my players, but it is not always easy to show that. It is also dependable on how the opponent is defending. When you win games, and we are doing that in 2016, you have more confidence and you can show it much more easily. Sunderland are playing very direct, and we have to cope with that. We are trying to play a positional game and score goals.” A little dig at Sam Allardyce there, perhaps. None too coded. Van Gaal’s press conferences and interviews are always magnificently entertaining, aren’t they. He always gives bang for your buck. We’ll miss him when he’s gone. If he goes. What price a league and FA Cup double? I’d like to see Jose Mourinho’s face if he reels that in.
Two changes to the resolute Sunderland team that started the 2-2 draw at Anfield last weekend. Billy Jones and Duncan ‘Whirlwind’ Watmore are replaced by Deandre Yedlin and Dame N’Doye.
Manchester United, buoyed by increasingly impressive form, make just one change to the team that really should have won at Stamford Bridge last Sunday. Popularity’s Marouane Fellaini makes way for Morgan Schneiderlin.
The teams
Sunderland: Mannone, Yedlin, Kone, O’Shea, Kirchhoff, Van Aanholt, M’Vila, Cattermole, Khazri, Defoe, N’Doye.
Subs: Brown, Rodwell, Borini, Matthews, Pickford, Toivonen, Honeyman.
Manchester United: De Gea, Darmian, Smalling, Blind, Borthwick-Jackson, Carrick, Schneiderlin, Lingard, Mata, Martial, Rooney.
Subs: Depay, Romero, Ander Herrera, Andreas Pereira, Weir, Keane, Love.
Referee: Andre Marriner (West Midlands)
Good morning!
With 13 games of the season to go, time’s running out a little for both of these clubs. Manchester United are 12 points off the title pace set by Leicester City, and six off the Champions League places. They’re finding form at just the right time, but they’ll need to keep that momentum going today, certainly if they fancy keeping their Premier League dream alive. This could, if you believe all the dreadful gossip, be Louis van Gaal’s last chance to add an English title to the ones he won in the Netherlands, Spain and Germany.
Sunderland’s need is certainly the greater, though. It’s not quite got to desperation levels yet, but they’re four points shy of safety right now, and with a none-too-friendly goal difference either. They need to shape up and quick if they’re to survive, having failed to win any of their last four league matches. Though that run doesn’t tell the whole story: in their last two games, they were arguably the better side against Manchester City but somehow failed to find the net, and they came from a couple of goals down at Liverpool to claim a precious point. You could make the case that Sunderland have a little momentum bubbling under the surface, too.
Whether they’ll be happy to see Manchester United this lunchtime, then, is a moot point. Sunderland beat United here in the League Cup semis a couple of years ago, but other than that they’ve not beaten these opponents at home in the League since March 1997, Michael Gray and John Mullin with the goals in a 2-1 victory. That game was staged at Roker Park. Yep, a long time ago.
Van Gaal might also fancy getting one over on his opposite number Sam Allardyce, as a little payback for the time he accused United of being a “long ball” team when at West Ham. Big Sam fighting battles on a few fronts today, then. But if anyone can extricate Sunderland from the dreadful oomska they’re plunged in, Big Sam can. It should be a fascinating duel between two teams who really need those three points. It’s fifth versus 19th. It’s on!
Kick off: 12.45pm GMT.
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