Sunderland v Manchester United KO - 12:45 - SS2

Professional Griefer

Sunderland enter the weekend hoping to break out of a winless run, but will have their work cut out against table-topping Manchester United.
The Black Cats have been dragged into a basement battle after failing to take maximum points from any of their last seven fixtures.
An untimely wobble has left Martin O'Neill's men precariously perched just four points above the drop zone.
They desperately need to find form from somewhere, and know they need to make the most of any game on home soil.
Manchester United will, however, arrive at the Stadium of Light 15 points clear at the summit and cruising towards the title.
They have secured six straight wins in the Premier League and have dropped just four points in their last 17 outings.
Sir Alex Ferguson will be calling on his side to surge towards the finishing post, with the Scot having already aired his ambition to set a new record points haul.
Sunderland

Last 6

1. 1-1
2. 3-1
3. 2-2
4. 2-1
5. 0-1
6. 2-1

Sunderland will be without top scorer Steven Fletcher and club captain Lee Cattermole.
Both men have been ruled out for the remainder of the season, with Fletcher having suffered ankle ligament damage while on international duty with Scotland and Cattermole having undergone knee surgery.
Stephane Sessegnon and David Vaughan also face a race against time to make the United clash, with both men nursing groin problems, and Carlos Cuellar has an ankle injury.

Man Utd

Last 6

1. 1-0
2. 2-2
3. 1-2
4. 4-0
5. 0-2
6. 2-1

Manchester United's contingent of international stars have been returned to them in full working order, but Ferguson may decide to give Javier Hernandez and Antonio Valencia an extended break as they only returned to England on Thursday afternoon.
Nani, Phil Jones and Paul Scholes have all been able to take part in training this week, so could come into contention for starting berths.
Anders Lindegaard is also pushing for his first involvement since January, with it possible that David de Gea will be rested ahead of a crucial run of fixtures in league and cup competition.


Opta stats:

• Sunderland have won just one of their previous 23 Premier League games against Manchester United, losing 17.
• Manchester United have conceded only one goal in their last 572 minutes of Premier League football against Sunderland.
• Manchester United have not picked up a single card in any of their last four Premier League games.

Taken from skysports.

Lets hope the players still remember what their fans did last season and we bang a good few in.

The_Kew_Tour

Going for 0-2.

Should win this, but team selection will be interesting.

Lovely Bloke

With no Fletcher to score, and no Cattermole to steel the midfield Sunderland will be even worse than normal.

Handy one for United here, win by a couple of goals.

City could be in for a bumpy one against Newcastle later too, so Ferguson will want to lump the pressure on them.

Monday's game is more important though, so a non-full strength team here.

Cantona's Collars

Fergie seemed adamant yesterday that the league is number one above everything else.I expect a pretty strong side out today,doubt the players who played in S.America or Asia to be rested.

Cypher_sounds

I really hope fergie gives v.persie the day off with an eye on monday, start with rooney and chico up front, welbeck out wide.

Professional Griefer

Howard Nurse ‏@howardnurse 32s

RVP, Carrick, Vidic, Smalling are with #MUFC squad at Sunderland but Rooney, Ferdinand, Giggs might not be involved at all today

BBC Sport ‏@BBCSport 27s

Sunderland team v Man Utd: Mignolet, Bardsley, Rose, O'Shea, Bramble, N'Diaye, Gardner, McClean, Johnson, Sessegnon, Graham. #bbcfootball

shrewdness

Apparently no Rooney, Rio or Giggs today, suggesting they'll play Monday if that's true.

Professional Griefer

Man Utd: De Gea, Rafael, Buttner, Smalling, Vidic, Carrick, Valencia, Anderson, Young, Kagawa, van Persie.

Good team.

Lovely Bloke

Interesting to see Kagawa in that role behind RVP.

Valenica though, United starting with ten men to give Sunderland a chance?

Professional Griefer

Baldy Conscience wrote: »

Interesting to see Kagawa in that role behind RVP.

Valenica though, United starting with ten men to give Sunderland a chance?

Hes had a very good week with Ecuador. Hopefully its the beginning of a good run for him.

Cypher_sounds

Subs: Evra, Evans, Nani, Welbeck, Cleverley, Powell, Lindegaard.

JaMarcus Hustle

Anderson :eek:

MagicMarker

Powell :eek:

Doctor Strange

Gawky bitter is on Sky Sports. Have to avoid the punditry now.

shrewdness

Happy with that team.

Hopefully RVP is among the goals today and grabs one or two. Would also be nice to see Valencia be involved and get an assist. Both of them looked sharp over the international break so hopefully they can carry that back to Utd.

Not comparing RVPs "slump" to that of Valencia's before someone says it!

ctrl-alt-delete

Sunderland Team:


22 Mignolet
02 Bardsley
16 O'Shea
19 Bramble
03 Rose
04 N'Diaye
08 Gardner
21 Johnson
23 McClean
28 Sessegnon
09 Graham

Substitutes

20 Westwood
12 Kilgallon
07 Larsson
14 Colback
18 Mangane
10 Wickham
30 Mandron

Hard to see Sunderland getting anything from this, there is no weak Man Utd team.

Point would be some achievement.

Thecon21

Hoping for an economical 0-2 performance, RvP to grab one and hopefully Val to bring in a bit of confidence from the internationals.

adox

Strong enough team and delighted to see Kagawa playing(hopefully) in his natural position.

Two concerns in the spine of the team - Smalling doesn't look back up to full speed since coming back from his injury. -Ando has been completely anonymous in his last couple of starts and seems to have reverted to type. Not the first time it's been said about the player but, lets hope he produces his early season form, carrying the ball forward with pace and power,shrugging players off and spraying passes around the pitch.

Ill go for a 1-3 score line to Utd.

COYVB

Fergie's going to be out to batter Sunderland. "We won't forget this", remember that last day of last season after the Sunderland fans were cheering for City?

MagicMarker

Oh noes...

Mars Bar

No one near Vida. Hopefully he's okay.

Mars Bar

Christ almighty De Gea. That's not like him at all!

Liam O

Tyler creaming himself for a potential De Gea mistake there.

Unearthly

Imagine if Joe Hart did that.....

Your Airbag

Great pace from Val there on the counter. He looks on it.

Mars Bar

Unearthly wrote: »

Imagine if Joe Hart did that.....

Don't even go there.


Kagawa has had a very lively start!

Hank Scorpio

****e by Young

Unearthly

Mars Bar wrote: »

Don't even go there.


!

it was an obvious parody comment. Relax

double GG

Poor Free Young, just put it on target and ask questions.

double GG

Anderson has started well. Coupe of incisive passes to Young.

Professional Griefer

Shooooooooooooot.

Mars Bar

Ah Buttner!

kryogen

Nice idea from Ando

Professional Griefer

What was he doing.

Mars Bar

Kagawa!

MagicMarker

Kagawa is so slick.

Rayne Wooney

Raf is a tank

double GG

Jesus Vida wins every header.

PhlegmyMoses

Mignolet>De Gea

Blatter

Some nice play between Carrick, Anderson and Kagawa so far.

double GG

Van Persie taking an extra touch there a few times.

Rayne Wooney

Valencia's good play during the internationals was mainly just bad defending imo, no premier league defender will show him the outside when they know he's completely bamboozled when he's shown the inside

Professional Griefer

SUPER RVP!!!!!

YES!

Mars Bar

And he's back!

Alpha Dog 1

Wohooo

RikkFlair

OG?

Paul Tergat

Deflected but we'll take it

kmart6

I'll take that!

Mars Bar

An O.G though?

double GG

RVPPPPPPPPPP

markesmith

double GG wrote: »

Van Persie taking an extra touch there a few times.

Worked well for him there though! :pac: