Match Overview

The 7th round match between Manchester United and Sunderland is scheduled for October 4th at Old Trafford. This preview provides a unique match prediction, delves into statistics, and outlines potential outcomes for the Manchester United vs Sunderland encounter.

Manchester United’s Current Form

The team suffered an away defeat to Brentford (1:3) in their last league fixture. The Red Devils have secured only three victories in their last 15 championship matches (3 draws, 9 losses). Notably, Ruben Amorim’s side has conceded goals in all of their Premier League 2025/26 encounters, with at least two goals finding Manchester United’s net in 3 of their last 4 games. The club has slipped to 14th place in the league standings.

• Both teams have scored in 4 of Manchester United’s last 5 Premier League matches.
• At home, the team has a 6-match uncompromising streak in this tournament (3 wins, 3 losses).
• In 5 of their previous 6 home Premier League games, the club conceded exactly 1 or 2 goals.

Manchester United’s Probable Lineup (3-4-3)*

Altay Bayindir – Diogo Dalot, Matthijs de Ligt, Luke Shaw – Harry Maguire, Patrick Dorgu, Bruno Fernandes, Manuel Ugarte – Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha, Benjamin Sesko.

Team News: Manchester United Injuries and Suspensions

Defender Lisandro Martinez is sidelined due to injury. Midfielder Casemiro is suspended.

Sunderland’s Performance Analysis

Régis Le Bris’s squad secured an away victory against Nottingham Forest (1:0) in the previous round, extending their unbeaten league run to four matches (2 wins, 2 draws). Over this period, Sunderland has conceded only two goals, with a total of four goals against them this season – a better defensive record than all but Arsenal and Crystal Palace (who have conceded 3 each). However, the team’s offense appears modest: their seven successful strikes represent the lowest figure among the top half of the league table, where Sunderland currently sits in 5th position.

• The club has scored in 5 of its last 7 Premier League matches.
• Away from home, the team has failed to win in 8 of its last 10 league games (1 draw, 7 losses).
• At least one opponent has failed to score in 11 of Sunderland’s last 12 away matches in this tournament.

Sunderland’s Probable Lineup (4-3-3)*

Robin Roefs – Nordi Mukiele, Omar Alderete, Arthur Masuaku, Tray Hum – Granit Xhaka, Noah Sadiki, Chris Rigg – Chemsdine Talbi, Enzo Le Fée, Wilson Isidor.

Match Official

Stuart Attwell (England)

Matches officiated – 23 (EPL, 2024/25 – 2025/26);

Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 96;

Average yellow cards per match – 4.2;

Red cards shown – 3;

Average fouls per match – 21;

Penalties awarded – 17%.

Match Prediction: Manchester United vs Sunderland

Bookmakers favor Manchester United in this upcoming fixture. However, Ruben Amorim’s men have only managed to justify their favorite status in the current championship against Burnley, a team currently in the relegation zone. Even in that match, the decisive goal was scored just moments before the final whistle. Manchester United’s results are far from impressive, even in home games: in their last 11 Premier League matches, the club has secured only 4 victories (2 draws, 5 defeats), with three of these wins being by a narrow one-goal margin.

Sunderland’s Resilient Form

Newly promoted Sunderland appears more confident than their upcoming opponent. Régis Le Bris’s side has suffered only one defeat this season (3 wins, 2 draws). Furthermore, for three consecutive rounds, the team has managed to take points from England’s European-competition contenders. The club’s defense is particularly noteworthy, ranking among the top 4 in the league for reliability. This defensive strength should aid the visitors in their clash against Manchester United, who have struggled with goal-scoring, with almost half of their goals coming against a league outsider.

My Final Prediction

My prediction for this match is: “Sunderland with a (+1.5) handicap”

Author

Author: Aleksey Tarabrin

Note on Lineups

* For each team, the starting lineup from their previous match in this tournament is indicated.