Manchester United eyeing three-game home winning run as Sunderland visits.

Manchester United vs. Sunderland kicks off at 15:00 [GMT+1] on Saturday, October 4, at Old Trafford.

Fourteenth-placed Manchester United [DWLWL] take on newly promoted Sunderland following last weekend's 3-1 loss to Brentford. United have traditionally enjoyed a stranglehold over the Black Cats, and Ruben Amorim will be eager to see his team continue their momentum at Old Trafford. United’s record in this fixture is formidable. They have lost just two of their last 30 league meetings with Sunderland, winning 22 and drawing six. Their most recent encounter came in April 2017, when goals from Zlatan Ibrahimović and Henrikh Mkhitaryan sealed a 3-0 victory at the Stadium of Light. At Old Trafford, the story is even more one-sided. Sunderland have only won once in their last 31 away trips in all competitions, a 1-0 win in May 2014 courtesy of Sebastian Larsson’s strike. Meanwhile, United’s current home form shows signs of revival. After a run of inconsistency at Old Trafford, they have now recorded back-to-back league wins, matching their total from the previous nine combined. A third successive victory would be their best home run since the eight-match streak that stretched from April to August 2023, underlining the importance of rediscovering fortress-like dominance on home soil. Adding to United’s confidence is their impeccable record against newly promoted sides. The Red Devils are unbeaten in their last 24 Premier League matches against such opposition (W21 D3), a run dating back to November 2021 when they were shocked 4-1 by Watford. Since then, they have consistently dispatched promoted clubs, with Watford also the last to prevent them from scoring, in a goalless draw in February 2022. Benjamin Šeško is expected at the attacking end of United’s 4—2—3—1 formation.

For Sunderland [LWDDW], extending their fabulous start to the campaign following their return will be the core objective on Saturday when they make the trip to Manchester following last weekend’s 1-0 win over Forest. However, history and statistics paint a grim picture. They have won just once in 29 away Premier League matches against the Manchester clubs combined (D4 L24). That record translates to a points-per-game average of just 0.24 – the lowest of any side to have played more than 15 away fixtures at United and City. Their challenge is enormous, and survival in the division will hinge more on games outside of these daunting away trips. Meanwhile, victory for Sunderland, who sit surprisingly in 5th place, could kickstart a chain of events which could see the back of Ruben Amorim. Wilson Isidor should keep his place at the attacking end of Sunderland’s 4—2—3—1 formation.