(4-3-2-1) Kobbie Mainoo back, Cunha replaces Fernandez in the Midfield, Zirkzee starts over sesko”, Predicted Man United line up vs Sunderland – as Ruben Amorim given last chance to redeem His job
High-flying Sunderland are the latest Premier League club who will endeavour to pile more misery on Manchester United when they travel to Old Trafford on Saturday afternoon.
The two teams butt heads for the first time since April 2017 when they Red Devils secured a 3-0 victory over the Black Cats at the Stadium of Light.
Match preview
Man United head coach Ruben Amorim on September 27, 2025
While there are no clear signals to suggest that Man United’s hierarchy are planning to part ways with Ruben Amorim any time soon, many will argue that the Portuguese boss is hanging onto his job by the thinnest of threads having overseen a disappointing start to the 2025-26 campaign.
The Red Devils have lost three of their opening six Premier League games (W2 D1), conceding 11 goals in the process, and less than a week after edging past Chelsea (2-1) on home soil, they came crashing back down to earth when they suffered a 3-1 defeat at Brentford last weekend, leaving the 20-time champions 14th in the table.
Amorim is now gearing up for his 50th game in charge of Man United, but history suggests that he could be in for another disappointing afternoon on Saturday, as none of the previous five permanent Red Devils managers have celebrated victory in their half-century match for the club. In fact, Sir Alex Ferguson was the last to win his 50th game back in November 1987 away against Bury.
However, Man United will take comfort from the fact that they are unbeaten in their last 24 Premier League encounters with newly-promoted teams (W21 D3) since a 4-1 loss at Watford in November 2021 – Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s final game as Red Devils boss.
The Red Devils have also lost just two of their last 30 league meetings with Sunderland (W22 D6), and having won their last two home league matches prior to this weekend’s contest, Amorim’s side are looking for three consecutive victories at Old Trafford for the first time since winning eight in a row between April and August 2023.
Sunderland players celebrate a goal against Nottingham Forest on September 27, 2025
Newly-promoted clubs have struggled over the last couple of seasons in the Premier League, but Sunderland have demonstrated early doors that they are more than capable of competing in the top flight after eight years away, having accumulated an impressive 11 points from their opening six games – their most at this stage of a top-flight campaign since 1967-68.
The Black Cats, who need just one point to equal Southampton’s total from the entirety of last season in 38 matches (12), have put together a four-game unbeaten run in the top flight (W2 D2), most recently securing a hard-fought 1-0 win away against Nottingham Forest last weekend, having previously collected points during this run against Brentford (2-1), Crystal Palace (0-0) and Aston Villa (1-1).
Head coach Regis Le Bris has been recognised for his superb work at the Stadium of Light with a Premier League Manager of the Month nomination for September, and the Frenchman is keen for his new-look squad to build on their positive start and show “strong personality and character” at Old Trafford.
Sunderland are rightly heading to the red side of Manchester in buoyant mood, but they will be aware that their record at Old Trafford leaves a lot to be desired, as they have won only one of their last 31 trips to Man United in all competitions (D9 L21) – a 1-0 success in May 2014 courtesy of a Sebastian Larsson’s winner.
The Black Cats have also come out on top in only one of their 29 Premier League away matches against the Manchester clubs (D4 L24), with their points-per-game ratio of 0.24 representing the worst of any team to have played more than 15 away matches against Man United and Man City.
Manchester United Premier League form:
L D W L W L
Manchester United form (all competitions):
D L W L W L
Sunderland Premier League form:
W L W D D W
Sunderland form (all competitions):
L L W D D W
Team News
Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro celebrate on September 20, 2025
Man United duo Lisandro Martinez (knee) and Noussair Mazraoui (thigh) remain sidelined with injuries, but Casemiro is available to return from a one-match suspension, while Amad Diallo – who missed the defeat at Brentford due to a family bereavement – could also return as he has taken part in training this week.
Amorim was unimpressed by Man United’s defensive display against Brentford and replaced two of his three centre-backs in the second half. With that in mind, Leny Yoro could be recalled to replace either Matthijs de Ligt or Harry Maguire, most likely the latter, while Senne Lammens is yet to make his PL debut and will continue to push Altay Bayindir for a start in goal.
Captain Bruno Fernandes has recorded five goals and six assists in his last nine games against newly-promoted teams and he is set to link up with either Casemiro or Manuel Ugarte in centre-midfield, while summer signings Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko are all set to continue in the final third.
As for Sunderland Habib Diarra (groin), Romaine Mundle (hamstring), Dennis Cirkin (wrist), Aji Alese (shoulder) and Leo Hjelde (Achilles) all remain sidelined
Granit Xhaka is set to start in midfield alongside Noah Sadiki and Chris Rigg. The Switzerland international has assisted each of Sunderland’s last three PL goals and he could become just the second Black Cats player after Chris Waddle in March/April 1997 to assist four goals in a row for the club.
Manchester United possible starting lineup:
Bayindir; Yoro, De Ligt, Shaw; Dalot, Casemiro, Fernandes, Dorgu; Mbeumo, Cunha; Sesko
Sunderland possible starting lineup:
Roefs; Hume, Mukiele, Alderete, Masuaku; Rigg, Xhaka, Sadiki; Talbi, Isidor, Le Fee
