A new weekend brings another must-win game for under-fire Man United head coach Ruben Amorim, who surely needs a positive result against Sunderland at Old Trafford to stay in his job.
United suffered their latest humiliation at Brentford and have still to win back-to-back Premier League games under the Portuguese boss. There's also major discontent around his system, his player selection and almost everything else. We ranked the likeliest contenders to replace him.
It couldn't be a more different story for Regis Le Bris who is the toast of Wearside after a stunning return to the top flight for the Black Cats. They sit in fifth with just one loss from their opening six games. Could they heap more misery on United?
The Sporting News brings you this betting preview complete with the latest tips and odds ahead of a crucial clash.
Man United vs. Sunderland: Who Will Win?
Sunderland will absolutely fancy their chances of a win on their first visit to Old Trafford since 2016 and so will many punters. Fellow promoted side Burnley got within seconds of taking a point here in August before a soft penalty in stoppage time.
However, United have a tendency to win just when their manager is in big trouble. Don't expect it to stop the noise around the beleaguered Amorim but we think they'll just sneak this one.
The Sporting News Score Prediction for Man United vs. Sunderland
Man United 2-1 Sunderland
BET NOW: Who will win Premier League | Relegation Odds | Golden Boot | Football games today
Man United vs. Sunderland Lineups
This is how we think these two sides will lineup on Saturday. Senne Lammens will finally make his debut while Casemiro will return following his suspension after a red card against Chelsea.
Man United predicted lineup vs. Sunderland
(3-4-3) Lammens (GK) — Yoro, De Ligt, Shaw — Amad, Casemiro, Fernandes, Dorgu — Mbeumo, Cunha, Sesko
Sunderland predicted lineup vs. Man United
(4-2-3-1) Roefs (GK) — Mukiele, Geertruida, Alderete, Masuaku — Xhaka, Sadiki — Traore, Talbi, Adingra — Isidor
MORE: Top October events | How odds work | How to bet in-play | Best betting apps
Man United vs. Sunderland Odds
United are the clear favourites with the bookmakers, priced up at 1.51 with Parimatch, with Sunderland underdogs at 6.20 with Dafabet. The draw comes in at 4.70.
Our score prediction is for United to win 2-1 but here’s the best odds available for five of the likeliest results for this match.
| Result | Odds | Bet with |
|---|---|---|
| United 1-0 | 7.50 | Dafabet |
| Sunderland 1-0 | 17.00 | Dafabet |
| United 2-0 | 7.50 | Dafabet |
| United 2-1 | 8.00 | Parimatch |
| 1-1 draw | 9.00 | Puntit |
Man United vs. Sunderland Team News
- As mentioned, Senne Lammens might just get his debut here after Altay Bayindir's latest unconvincing display at the Gtech.
- There's likely to be no place again for Kobbie Mainoo with Casemiro stepping into midfield after his one-game ban.
- Amad and Leny Yoro could also come in for Diogo Dalot and Harry Maguire who failed to impress against Brentford.
- Lutsharel Geertruida and Simon Adingra may be the only changes to Le Bris' lineup.
Man United vs. Sunderland Betting Tips
- Best bet: Manchester United Win & BTTS (at 2.86 with Parimatch)
- Player prop: Mbeumo to score anytime (at 2.72 with Parimatch)
On paper, Sunderland Double Chance (at 2.61 with Parimatch) feels like decent value when you consider their three clean sheets and Manchester United's struggles in front of goal this season. United have already lost three of their opening six fixtures, conceding 11 times in the process.
Even so, their track record against newly promoted clubs is strong, with back-to-back home wins recently, which makes it difficult to justify lumping on them at short odds of 1.51. A smarter angle could be BTTS & Man United, which looks well-priced at 2.86.
We're also siding with Bryan Mbeumo to make his mark in this one, available at 2.72 with Parimatch to score anytime.
The 26-year-old has only managed one Premier League goal since swapping Brentford for Old Trafford, but the underlying data paints a different picture. He leads United’s frontline in penalty-box touches, total efforts on goal, and shots on target, while his expected goals tally sits inside the league’s top 15.
With a nailed-on starting spot and having gone the full 90 minutes in five of six league outings so far, Mbeumo looks primed to find the net in what could be a tense and finely balanced encounter.
How to watch Man United vs. Sunderland: Live stream, TV channel
- Date: Saturday, October 4
- Venue: Old Trafford, Manchester, England
- Time: 7:30 p.m. IST
- TV/Stream: JioHotstar