Another weekend of Premier League football is fast-approaching for Manchester United, and the spotlight is beaming brighter on Ruben Amorim ahead of the arrival of Sunderland.
Victory against Chelsea was replaced by an abject performance in a 3-1 loss to Brentford, with this one-time perennial giant currently occupying 14th place in the table.
As a result, the world’s media has set its teeth into the former Sporting chief, with a variety of speculative reports surrounding his future in the North West.
Admittedly, two wins, seven points and a negative goal difference of four make for bleak reading following six domestic fixtures. However, the underlying numbers suggest fortune has not yet favoured the Reds.
If ever there was a time for a new-look attacking line to click, a divided fan base is hoping this weekend will supply the critical turning point.
Still, despite all of the woe at the Theatre of Dreams, Saturday’s outing against an in-form Sunderland presents the opportunity to climb to within a point of the Champions League places.
Manchester United Team News
It was business as usual throughout the week, as an underperforming United side strives to reclaim a semblance of momentum.
Ruben is pleased with the time spent on the training field, and has enjoyed a sizeable contingent of his squad for primary sessions.
Thankfully, the absentee list is small. Lisandro Martinez continues with his rehabilitation following surgery, and Noussair Mazraoui remains sidelined due to a thigh issue.
Amad is expected to feature this weekend, having missed the trip to the Gtech Community Stadium due to a family bereavement. Casemiro is available, having served a one-match suspension.
“It’s not time to say, it’s time to show,” Amorim stated during his pre-match press conference. “Again, I can look at the games this year – for me, [they] are completely different.
“There are some things that are the same, and that is nothing about the position on the pitch, where we put the ball, it is other things that we can not change.
“We show that thing in certain games. In the other games, we are not the same team in some details.”
Although considerable questions remain about the mentality and character of this group, United are undefeated in their previous 24 outings against newly-promoted sides (W21, D3).
Historically, Old Trafford has proven a difficult hunting ground for Regis Le Bris’ adopted outfit, with Sunderland managing a sole win from 31 trips in all competitions (L21, D9).
Furthermore, the Reds have lost just two of the previous 30 league meetings (W22, D6), boasting a considerably dominant record against the Black Cats.
Despite growing concerns in the fan base, Ineos officials remain committed to their Portuguese tactician. Nonetheless, there will be an expectation for his side to maintain their dominance in this fixture.
Predicted Manchester United starting XI: (3-4-2-1): Lammens; Yoro, De Ligt, Shaw; Amad, Casemiro, Bruno, Dorgu; Mbeumo, Cunha; Sesko.
How do you feel ahead of a must-win game? Let us know your thoughts in the comments or across our socials.
Photo by operations@newsimages.co.uk via depositphotos.com
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