We get the inside track behind Manchester United struggles ahead of Sunderland visit.
Sunderland and Regis Le Bris will be hoping to continue their impressive start to the new Premier League season when they head to the North West on Saturday to face Manchester United.
Sunderland will also head to Old Trafford at the same time aiming to heap more pressure on under-fire Ruben Amorim ahead of the next international break. While Sunderland enjoyed victory on the road over Nottingham Forest, for United they suffered a 3-1 defeat at Brentford that kept them firmly in the bottom half of the Premier League. We ask Rich Fay of Manchester World for the inside track on United ahead of the weekend.
What is the general feeling around Manchester United and Ruben Amorim this season after the poor start - how much pressure is his job under?
“The pressure is growing, but Manchester United, and more importantly, Ineos, insist Ruben Amorim is still their man. That is the key factor in all of this. At any other club, Amorim would have lost his job by now, but United's new co-owners promised change and that they would learn from past mistakes.
“It was simple enough to sack Erik ten Hag because he wasn't their man, but Amorim very much is. To get rid of him would completely undermine everything they have aimed to do and be a huge admission of failure. That said, if they don't win this weekend, it might reach the point of no return.
“After the international break, United face Liverpool, Brighton, Nottingham Forest and Tottenham. You wouldn't back them in any of those matches.”
Who have been the stand-out performers this season and who do Sunderland and Regis Le Bris need to keep close tabs on this Saturday?
“This might be the toughest question to answer. Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo have both brought fresh energy to the United attack, but they are quickly being brought down to the same low level as their demoralised teammates.
“Leny Yoro and Matthijs De Ligt have probably been the two standout performers so far; the fact that they are both centre-backs tells you everything.”
The Echo has launched a new WhatsApp SAFC channel to bring the latest news, analysis and team & injury updates directly to your phone.Simply click this link to join our SAFC WhatsApp channel.
Amad had a major impact at Sunderland during his loan spell a couple of years ago, what is his future at Manchester United and what do you make of him?
“He was one of the few bright lights last season, but he has been a victim of the summer reshuffle. He is at his best as an attacking midfielder, but is now behind Mbeumo in the pecking order, and he simply has not functioned effectively as a wing-back.
“In a normal season, with European football, he would have gotten some decent playing time, but in this campaign, he is already being underused. It is hard to see him getting the opportunities he deserves while Amorim is in charge.”
Any early team news or suggestions as to how you think Manchester United will line-up this weekend for the visit of Sunderland?
“Noussair Mazraoui and Lisandro Martinez are both injured, and Amad Diallo is back in training after a recent family bereavement. Casemiro is back after his suspension, so the line-up seems rather straightforward to predict.
“United XI vs Sunderland: Bayindir, Yoro, De Ligt, Shaw; Dalot, Casemiro, Fernandes, Dorgu, Mbeumo, Cunha, Sesko.”
What is the biggest issue facing Manchester United this season; tactical inflexibility, the manager or standard of players?
“It has to be the formation. The players have underperformed enormously, but that is rooted in a lack of confidence due to a catalogue of poor performances while using this current system.
“The only thing the United squad has in common is that none of them would say 3-4-2-1 is their favoured approach. This squad of players and head coach can clearly do better, and a change of system just seems like such an obvious thing to try.”
Continue Reading