Manchester United travel to the North East on Saturday for a rare 3pm kick-off as Michael Carrick’s men face a tough test against Regis Le Bris’s impressive Sunderland side.
The home side have enjoyed a fine return to the top flight of English football and could still finish the season in a European place should they end the campaign strongly and other result go their way.
United make the trip knowing they have secured their place back in the Champions League for the first time in three years, but Carrick will want to secure third position in the Premier League and hammer home the fine job he has done since taking over in January.
Sunderland’s home form has been a major factor in them comfortably securing their top flight status, and despite a recent dip at the Stadium of Light, United will have to be at their best to get maximum points.
Power in the ranks
Le Bris has built a side tailor-made for the Premier League with a powerful spine led by the experienced Granit Xhaka, who has been a standout on his return to the English game. United will have to win the battle in the middle of the park to overhaul the Swiss international and get control of proceedings early doors in what is sure to be a red-hot atmosphere from the kick-off.
Centre-forward Brian Brobbey is another with the ability to hurt United, given his strength and determination to fight for every ball. The home side will not be shy in throwing balls up to the big Dutchman and feeding off the scraps he can create through sheer brute force at times.
Brobbey has six goals for the season and will be desperate to add another against a side he could have joined in Erik ten Hag’s spell in charge at Old Trafford. The 24-year-old will also play a huge role in bringing Sunderland’s wide men into play, who are dangerous and will also be keen to impress against United.
Harry Maguire will no doubt be tasked with winning the Brobbey battle, and coming out on top in these individual duels will be key to United settling things down and securing the points.
Attacking flair
Since improving their attacking options last summer, United have only failed to score in three games this season and are yet to go without a goal in any game since Carrick’s arrival. Therefore, confidence will be high for notching a goal or two on Saturday, and Bruno Fernandes will no doubt play a huge role in creating chances, as he has done since the start of the campaign.
With the influential Dan Ballard missing for the hosts, Benjamin Sesko will surely be licking his lips here, and United should not be afraid of lofting balls into the box for the big Slovenian. Given Ballard’s absence, Sesko should look to take advantage of a weaker Sunderland centre-back pairing and use his strength in the air to get himself add to his goal contributions for the season.
With Fernandes likely to drift out to the right to cause damage, Luke Shaw should have the space on the opposite side of the pitch to loft balls into Sesko, who can go for goal or nod back into threatening areas for the likes of Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo to finish.
Carrick classics
As ever with Carrick, United will set up with their tried and tested 4-2-3-1, which will give them the chance for lightning-quick counters used to such great effect since the turn of the year. United do prefer to move through the lines quickly, and with the pace they possess in attacking areas, don’t be surprised to see the visitors use the counter-attack to their advantage on Saturday.
Given the powerful nature of both sides, set pieces are also likely to play a huge role in the outcome, and United boast a fantastic record from dead ball situations this season. Harry Maguire, Casemiro and Sesko are all strong in the air, and with Fernandes on the verge of breaking the Premier League assist record, expect the visitors to be as dangerous as ever from set pieces in and around the Sunderland box, particularly in Ballard’s absence.
Final thoughts
Despite Sunderland’s fine home record overall, they have endured some eye-catching struggles in recent weeks – none more so than the 0-5 hammering by Nottingham Forest at the Stadium of Light last week. Therefore, if United can get through the opening exchanges unscathed, they will fancy their chances of leaving Wearside with three points should they remain vigilant and concentrated throughout – something they almost fell foul of against Liverpool last weekend.
There are no airs and graces about Le Bris’s team, and if United have designs on securing third place, they will first need to stand up to the fight of the home side before the superior quality in their ranks can take over to win the game.
Winning the physical battle is key to this assignment, and no doubt Carrick will be briefing his troops for what will be a tough but hopefully fruitful afternoon to further enhance his chances of securing the head coach role on a permanent basis.
Featured image by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images
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