United limp to valuable point on the road in drab stalemate with Sunderland

Manchester United travelled to the Stadium of Light to face Sunderland with a much changed starting line-up. First half The home side started well, pressing the United defence. This led to a good effort by Chemsdine Talbi, whose curled shot went just wide of Senne Lammens’ post. A beautiful move by Sunderland cut United open like a knife through butter, and Noah Sadiki was put through on goal. Thankfully, Lammens was equal to the midfielder’s effort and turned the ball away for a corner. United won a free kick and, instead of shooting, Bruno Fernandes set up Amad, but his curled effort went comfortably wide. An error from Lisandro Martinez almost allowed Brian Brobbey in, but Lammens was once again quick to snuff out the danger. The Black Cats felt they could have had a penalty when the ball hit Amad’s hand, but VAR’s check confirmed that the ball hit the Ivorian’s body first. The game lulled a little, but on 28 minutes, after a good spell by United, Matheus Cunha’s floated ball was headed just over by Joshua Zirkzee. The home side responded, and Brobbey dragged an effort from the right-hand side just wide. Good play from Sunderland then resulted in another shot by Sadiki, but his effort was deflected out for a corner. United had their most dangerous spell just before half-time, and Cunha’s volley deflected to Kobbie Mainoo who, in oceans of space, miskicked a clear chance to score. The whistle blew at 0-0, and Michael Carrick will have been disappointed with his side’s performance in the opening 45 minutes. Second half The second half started in slow fashion and Cunha tried to test the Sunderland keeper but his long-range effort ballooned over the bar. United almost broke through when Fernandes’ deflected through ball broke kindly to Amad but he squared the ball when he probably should have shot and the ball was cleared. Lammens once again saved United when Brobbey was played in but his fierce effort was well stopped by the Belgian. United tried to keep the ball but were lacking the fluidity of last week’s brilliant match versus Liverpool. The Black Cats were inches from opening the scoring on 71 minutes but Lutsharel Geertruida hit the base of the post with a deflected effort. United had a late chance when Cunha found himself in plenty of space in the box but he picked out nobody in the centre of the box. Cunha had another glorious chance to win the match but when once again left in oceans of space, he fired right at the Black Cats’ keeper. First XI: Lammens, Mazraoui, Martinez, Maguire, Shaw, Mount, Mainoo, Fernandes, Amad, Cunha, Zirkzee Subs: Dorgu, Mbeumo Featured image George Wood via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Alex Browne Alex is a huge Manchester United fan, inspired by greats of his homeland such as George Best, Harry Gregg and Norman Whiteside. Alex has a Master’s degree from Queen’s University Belfast and La Universitat Rovira i Virgili in Tarragona, Spain. Having lived in the country since 2011, Alex is The Peoples Person’s Spanish football expert and is fluent in both Spanish and Catalan. He dreams of witnessing a United captain triumphantly hoisting the Premier League and Champions League trophy in the air once more.