Oct 03
Manchester United vs Sunderland: Preview
A former United stalwart returns to Old Trafford this weekend (along with a few other familiar faces), bringing along with him a Sunderland team that have endured something of a yoyo start to the season. Yes Steve Bruce skippered the Reds to three Premier League titles once upon a time but he will be desperately hoping to outwit his former mentor in the opposing dugout come Saturday.
To get the ball rolling, the Black Cats haven’t won at the Theatre of Dreams in some 41 years. With eight wins on the bounce for the Reds heading into the game, anything but victory would surely be deemed a disappointing result.
Following the hard fought triumph over an aesthetically pleasing Wolfsburg on Wednesday, three points at home in the Premier League is certainly a must in order to keep things ticking over. Sunderland, on the other hand, were 5-2 winners against Wolves in their last outing, a deceptively flattering scoreline as I’m sure those who witnessed the encounter will testify.
The main bits of team news from a United perspective refers to opposite ends of the pitch. After putting in a steady shift without covering himself in glory against the German champions, Tomasz Kuszczak will have to settle for a place on the bench as Ben Foster resumes as Edwin van der Sar’s Premier League deputy. Michael Owen’s latest injury, meanwhile, will keep him out of action for the forthcoming round of international fixtures next weekend.
At the back you would envisage little change with Ferdinand and Vidic at centre-back and Patrice Evra and John O’Shea on either side of them.
Ryan Giggs’ cameo on Wednesday evening brought about his 150th career goal for United and the landmarks are coming around thick and fast as a strike against Sunderland will see him notch up his 100th Premier League goal. Your guess is as good as mine as to who Fergie may decide to play on Saturday (you’ve probably a better chance of predicting the lottery results in fairness) but given the current rotation policy and that we should be afforded plenty of space, expect Scholes and Fletcher to possibly start with Nani and Valencia on the flanks as Park remains doubtful with a virus.
That leaves Rooney and Berbatov to head up the attack, a partnership that is showing signs of flourishing and should come to life against the frailties of a Sunderland defence that is hardly up there with the best in the league.
The big decision Steve Bruce will have to make is whether to sit back and soak up pressure or attack United from the off and hope for the best. Whatever tact the one-time United captain decides to go with, Darren Bent will undoubtedly start having scored eight in his last nine Premier League starts.
Speaking to the media, Ferguson explained that he is hardly relishing the task of picking his team with so many players fighting fit and on top of their games at the moment.
“We’ve a strong squad. The problem with having everyone fit is picking the right team,” he is quoted as saying by the Associated Press.
“Our two central midfielders – Michael Carrick and Anderson – were fantastic against Wolfsburg, and I thought Darren Fletcher and Paul Scholes were outstanding at Stoke. It is giving me a real headache.”
The United boss went on to praise the managerial work of his former player and that he expects Sunderland to achieve big things with Bruce at the helm.
“He’s had experience of the other side, from down there scrapping at Sheffield United, Crystal Palace, Huddersfield, Birmingham, and the job he did at Wigan in his second spell there last time was fantastic, almost getting them into a European place,” Ferguson added.
“Now he’s had the chance to spend some money and he’s looking good. Steve’s galvanised the club already, and you can see something great happening there. Hopefully not against us on Saturday.”
On the other side of the fence, Bruce paid tribute to Ryan Giggs, a player he labels one of the greatest to have graced the Premier League.
“He started in 1993 and where are we now, 2009? Jesus. And to play at the level he has been doing, he has to be the greatest ever player to have played in the Premier League” he is quoted as saying by the Telegraph.
“Not just because of his longevity but because he is playing for Manchester United and still getting man of the match awards.
“For me he is their best player, at his age as well.”
Saturday’s match will be the 13th time that Bruce has gone head-to-head with Sir Alex with the Scot possessing a record of ten wins and two draws to date. The former Birmingham City manager may fancy his chances more than ever before considering the form of Darren Bent but the likes of Vidic and Ferdinand haven’t been in opposition before now.
Anything but a comprehensive result will clearly be frowned upon and bar an absolutely unbelievable Sunderland performance a woefully poor United showing, a comfortable victory should prove the final outcome and put further pressure on Chelsea needing to gain a positive result against Liverpool the day after.
Prediction: 2-0
Related items from Red Rants:
- Man Utd v Everton: Preview
- Evra’s Ban Smacks of Inconsistency | Sunderland Preview
- Manchester United 2006/2007 Season Review
- The Academy: United v Sunderland – Preview
- The Manchester United Pledge
Tags: Manchester United News
Opti (541)
Stephen (479)
RedDevilEddy (459)
Craig Mc (345)
Moscow is my heaven (272)
Bruce better not play well today.As for the rentboys and dippers,my body(not mind) may go for the dippers.You should know why.
Like?
0 
0
Adopted scouser – I’d prefer the DRAW between Chelski and L’poo especially if we chalk up another win
.
Like?
0 
0
the black cats have good team..i still cant believe how he convinced Lorik Cana to leave regular Champions League football at Marsille and join them..if they had a stable back four they could be a serious contender for top 10 position
Like?
0 
0
can’t wait for this one !! Will be a lively game… brucey never parks the bus and his players are well capable of attacking. Plus I’m lookin forward to see how cana plays against top opposition!? I’m goin for two yellows and he’s sent off .. player to watch? Def darren bent, following him on Twitter and he apparently had sum weetabix this mornin, so…
Like?
0 
0
I think it will be 3 – 1 in our favour
Like?
0 
0
@RMJ: They are challenging for the top10…
Like?
0 
0
Im going for a 2-0.
Like?
0 
0
@Dan: I think the match is going to be very entertaining as they will also be willing to attack…
Like?
0 
0
Remember our last 4 games against these guys at Old Trafford?
ParkTheBus2K should be their club name. All our wins have been with a maximum of a one goal margin, and who can forget that 0-0 draw in 2006 that effectivly ended our title chase? Then there is last seasons 1-0 win where Gorgnard went balistic because he had never seen such a poor and embarrasingly defensive performance by a team, and the Premier Leaggue should make teams like Sunderland dissapear far down the pecking order of the League system… 
If we get an early goal, I can see us score very many! If we dont score in the first half, expect a 1-0 win or a 0-0 draw. Hoping for the former, and Anderson to score his first Old Trafford goal.
Like?
0 
0
My hopeful line up
———B.Foster———-
O’shea Ferdinand Vidic Evra
Valencia Carrick Scholes Giggs
Rooney Berbatov
Prediction 2-0. A goal each for Wayne and Dimitar.
Like?
0 
0
just heard that vidic was injured in car accident this morning and will not play
Like?
0 
0
@ebrahim: WHAT?!?!?!?!
Like?
0 
0
@Footy4Eddy: Its not official, but its on BBC 606.
Take it with a pinch of salt before we get team news and/or official word.
Like?
0 
0
@Dan: I really hope he isnt severly injured, like fatal or sumthing…
Well, I forgot we were talking about NEMANJA VIDIC!
The man never gets injured, he survives everything! 
Like?
0 
0
…I hope…
Like?
0 
0
@ebrahim: you mean vida hit a car with his fist and he got a hangnail? no way he is injured
come on vida
if so what do you guys think is brown healthy? probably evans but maby DeLat?
Like?
0 
0
Vidic doesnt have car crashes…….
Car crashes have Vidic.
Joking aside, I hope this is bullshit.
Like?
0 
0
You guys sure it was a car crash, and not Vidic just beating up a guy so much his face looked like a wrecked car?
Like?
0 
0
@Footy4Eddy: I quote: “Someone should tell him to stop chasing John Connor.”
Like?
0 
0
Hrm, regardless of the Vida thing, hoping for a good performance today. We’re often rubbish after a midweek game, but have enough fresh faces that we should be pretty high energy.
My first time betting today, odds of 21-1 of a Sunderland win. That’ll make it easier if it happens
Like?
0 
0
@ebrahim: bullfuck. he’s in the starting lineup!
Like?
0 
0
Teams from Premierleague.com:
UNITED:
GK: Foster
RB: O’Shea
CB: Evans
CB: Vidic
LB: Evra
RM: Welbeck
CM: Scholes
CM: Fletcher
LM: Nani
CF: Berbatov
CF: Rooney
SUBS: Ando, Valencia, PIG, Carrick, Brown, Fabio, Rio
Like?
0 
0
Manchester United: Foster; O’Shea, Evra, Evans, Vidic; Scholes, Fletcher, Nani, Rooney; Berbatov, Welbeck.
Subs: Ferdinand, Brown, Anderson, Carrick, F Da Silva, Valencia, Kuszczak.
Like?
0 
0
@ Grognard:
http://articles.squarefootball.net/squarefootball/2009/10/in-praise-of-ben-foster.html
Like?
0 
0
maybe he damaged the car and not himself.lol
Like?
0 
0
I heard a car hit him while he was crossing the street. The car had minor danger until vidic saw that his bagel dropped cream cheese side down. He flipped out and totalled the car…
I’m just telling you what I heard
Like?
0 
0
Come on United
Like?
0 
0
@ebrahim: Turns out even manutd.com match tracker is reporting it! If there really was an accident, vida = godlike. but be prepared for a shortened outing for him today. My guts tell me Rio will come on for him at HT.
Like?
0 
0
Interesting teams on both sides. On our side it’s surprise that Welbeck is in at right midfield and no stickers on the bench. But overall team is very strong. Good to see Vidic is playing. Good to see that Sunderland will play with both Bent and Jones on. Seems to me Bruce wants to attack. Hopefully we can have a great game and win. We really need to keep the ball rolling.
Like?
0 
0
@owen: Rarely have I read such rubbish. Statistics are for losers. The guy fails to mention all the times Foster screws up and he doesn’t give up a goal. That figure surely is in double figures. Seriously, I do not need some meathead to write an article in support of Foster to change my mind and view of him. I need Foster himself to do the job. Until he shows me he can, he will continue to get my abuse. One thing I warn you and others against however, let nobody ever accuse me of not being fair. If Foster turns his game around and can prove to me that the is the real deal and that I was wrong, I will be more than willing to eat humble pie. But here is the thing, I am so sure that won’t happen so I am not losing sleep contemplating that possibility. I know goalkeepers and I cannot remember in my 35 years of watching the game that I have ever really been wrong in my judgment of one. Remember, he plays for a top team and a top defense. Of course he will have what seems like a good goalkeeping record on paper. But all that is needed for that writer to actually see what crap Ben Foster really is, is a brand new eye prescription and a brain that truly understands the game. Clearly he doesn’t and so clearly I would take what he has to write and use it for toilet paper.
Like?
0 
0
How long has kieron Richardson been playing at Lb?
Like?
0 
0
I will not tolerate anything less than 3-0. A minnow at home, should be fun. Why do I have a sneaky suspicion that we will be arguing later about United winning 1-0?
Like?
0 
0
@Johnsom33: Since he was with us actually. We wanted to turn him into a LB, but he wanted to be a midfielder. Look where that got him.
He played 1 or 2 games at LB for us, thats for sure.
Like?
0 
0
@Grognard: Casillas was voted the best goalkeeper mate but Neur and Adler were not in the top 10 and even Lehmaan was in the list…How they vote???I even can not understand???
Like?
0 
0
COME ON UNITED!!!
Like?
0 
0
“He can kick well with either foot and possesses the kind of bullet-proof self belief that borders on arrogance.”
hahahahahahahahahhajahahahahahahah please stop. Who ever wrote that article on Foster is a comedic genius.
Like?
0 
0
@Grognard: The main worry is that Giggs is not even on the bench today????Hope Berba will create something
Like?
0 
0
@Grognard: Because we’re playing a team on the same points as Villa and City, not Portsmouth.
I’d expect them to be hard to break down, well organised and tight at the back… Bruce managed to make a player out of Titus Bramble ffs!
Also Kenwyne Jones and Darren Bent are big fast powerful strikers, who are both in the goals. Midfield is where they lack, and we’ve got 4 midfielders on form so that’s where the game will be won.
I still expect us to win.
Like?
0 
0
I smell a draw
Like?
0 
0
@Grognard: Bloody hell, a minnow? You show teams outside the top4 no respect what so ever and its not right.
Like?
0 
0
Scholes was a mistake. Cana and cattermole are really physical
Like?
0 
0
@Johnsom33: Agreed.
Like?
0 
0
@Traverse: i think they have a decent midfeild.. lorik cana is no push over but they have the younger ferdinand in defence and burnley had fun with him…but wow welbeck starting..
Like?
0 
0
jesus foster nearly doin a doozy
Like?
0 
0
hey,
anybody have a good working link to watch he game
Like?
0 
0
I really rate that Cattermole fella…
Same goes for Cana. Wow, good midfield theyve got there!
Like?
0 
0
It’s good too see berba back at full confidence
Like?
0 
0
WAZZA`S NEW BOOTS ARE MINT!!!
Same goes for Nani, they look dashy.
Like?
0 
0
Vidic as captain… Superman isnt worthy.
Fuck Bent…
Like?
0 
0
Oh fecking hell.
Like?
0 
0