On a day when nothing but three points would suffice, Manchester United collected a hat trick of consecutive Premier League home wins with a dominating 2-0 victory against newly-promoted Sunderland.
First-half finishes from Mason Mount and Benjamin Sesko were the least that the home side deserved, with a performance largely befitting the legendary turf at the home of the 20-time English champions.
The result lifts United into eighth place, four points off the Champions League places, taking the squad into the international break with a positive mindset ahead of a trip to Liverpool.
Although some will inevitably remain unsatisfied with the state of affairs in the North West, maximum points and a first clean sheet of the season offer branches of optimism for Ruben Amorim, players and the supporter base.
A job well done for Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United
Amorim made five changes to his starting XI after a demoralising defeat at the Gtech Community Stadium, with Senne Lammens making his first appearance in Red.
Understandably, the young goalkeeper received a rousing applause from the Old Trafford faithful following his first touch, with a renewed hope for an assured defensive presence.
Many bemoaned the decision to begin with Mount over Matheus Cunha. Nevertheless, the Englishman silenced them inside the opening 10 minutes with a sublime passage of close control before side-footing home.
Amad returned to the side following a period of grieving, and his presence on the right wing alongside Bryan Mbeumo proved instrumental throughout the opening 25 minutes.
The Stretford End thought their side had doubled the lead midway through the opening half courtesy of the boot of Bruno Fernandes, before the fingertips of Robin Roefs somehow tipped a staggering effort onto the crossbar.
But the pressure was relentless, and Sesko eventually notched a well-deserved second for the Reds with a striker’s finish following a long throw, adding to his debut goal last weekend.
Lammens was a spectator for 40 minutes before earning his first save and claim, which resulted in an overjoyed audience bringing a smile from their Belgian star.
Truthfully, a tired fan base has had little to celebrate this season. Still, Old Trafford enjoyed a thoroughly dominant opening half against an in-form side, controlling matters from back to front – despite a nonsensical pause for a potential penalty in injury time.
Amorim maintained his team selection for the restart, hoping to continue with a brand of free-flowing attacking football that had a partisan crowd in fine voice.
As the weather began to turn and the wind became a factor, United retained huge possession, as a restructured Sunderland side sat deep with defensive structure an obvious priority.
Diogo Dalot and Mount made way for Patrick Dorgu and Matheus Cunha with half an hour to play, with a confident United side maintaining a stranglehold on the fixture while pursuing a third.
As play continued, transitions became slightly forced, with several misplaced passes halting promising attacking moves. Kobbie Mainoo entered for the final quarter.
Sunderland earned a rare opportunity in injury time following a smooth counter-attacking effort. Nonetheless, Lammens stood tall to deny a poor attempt, ensuring his debut outing would remain a memorable one.
Despite a relentless media onslaught for Ruben’s head, the Portuguese becomes the first United manager since Sir Alex Ferguson to win his 50th fixture, matching the feat achieved against Bury in 1987.
Interestingly, the Reds are now undefeated in their last 25 outings against newly-promoted sides (W22, D3). Let’s hope they can carry this momentum into our impending trip to Anfield.
How are you feeling following a well-needed three points and solid performance for Manchester United? Let us know your thoughts in the comments or on our socials.
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