The FourFourTwo Preview: Man United vs Sunderland

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League’s in-form striker looks to fill his boots against philanthropic defence.

The lowdown

It wouldn’t be a proper season without a Sunderland manager teetering on the brink of unemployment somewhere along the line, although this year it may come earlier than usual. No one is calling for Dick Advocaat’s head just yet, but it’s never promising when results have you apologising to your own fans, as he did last weekend to the clutch of masochists who’d traversed the length of the country only to watch newly promoted Bournemouth stick two goals past their side in the first 10 minutes.

“We should be ashamed,” was his appraisal. “Hopefully [the players] will come back with an answer.” Presumably the answer he had in mind featured the words ‘goals’, ‘conceding’ and ‘stop’ fairly prominently – and yet when Manchester City came to visit on Tuesday night, Sunderland were 4-0 down at half-time. They’ve won once at Old Trafford since 1968, and that during The Moyes Aberration. Testing times on Wearside.

But on paper, if not yet on grass, it’s not all gloom. A strikeforce that includes Jermain Defoe and Fabio Borini has proven top-flight pedigree, while any combination of Adam Johnson, Sebastian Larsson and Jeremain Lens should be able to create enough chances. It’s at the back, though, where the fate of Sunderland’s season may well be decided.

Sebastian Coates and Younes Kaboul clearly bring out the worst in each other, while Patrick van Aarnholt is more susceptible to a roasting than a pig among Old Etonians. Manchester United’s tendency to start slow will be a relief to a defence that has conceded 17 first-half goals in their eight fixtures this season.

Over at Old Trafford, after two years crawling through misery’s soiled tunnel, a glint of optimism has finally been spotted – nothing raises the mood of a fanbase like the sight of a fearless youngster banging in goals. Those comparing Anthony Martial with Nicolas Anelka and Michael Owen are not being premature.

Martial’s dead-eyed brace dominated the coverage of Sunday’s win at St Mary’s but, as against Liverpool the previous week, it took United until half-time to find any sort of rhythm in possession.

And for all the improvement of Chris Smalling & Co., Van Gaal’s men don't have a defence that affords the team to play badly and get away with it. Had Graziano Pelle converted an easy chance with Southampton leading 1-0, it would most likely have been a very different story.

That said, once United’s gears did begin to whirr into motion, last weekend was perhaps the first example of Louis van Gaal’s envisioned process and outcome functioning in tandem. It wasn’t quite Holland ‘74 but screw-turning dominance was exercised and goals duly followed, with Juan Mata’s much fawned-over third strike to conclude a 45-pass move delivering on both counts. Should United’s performances continue to exert both control and cutting edge, St Mary’s will be seen as the turning point.

Team news

After last year’s trauma at MK Dons, Van Gaal didn’t dare risk leaving too many first-teamers out of the side as Ipswich were put to the sword straightforwardly on Wednesday. Most or all of Michael Carrick, Morgan Schneiderlin, Memphis Depay and Martial will likely be restored to the line-up. Wayne Rooney’s goal will have been welcomed, too: armband or no armband, his place will be under threat if his form doesn’t pick up. Sunderland should bring Defoe back into the fold and will be hoping Wes Brown, who was on the bench on Tuesday, may be fit to bring some know-how to a backline which sure as hell needs some.

Key battle: Martial vs Sunderland defence

Van Gaal – along with most of the Old Trafford faithful – may well be wary of heaping early pressure onto his new boy’s shoulders, but the dismal form of his fellow forwards isn’t helping him ease in gently. It’s now been 11 games since Rooney’s last league goal and Depay is yet to net in the English top flight.

Right now the Frenchman is by some distance United’s biggest hope of scoring. If Sunderland can keep him subdued – and it will probably mean sitting deep to negate the teenager’s electric pace – the greater their own chances of frustrating their hosts and snatching a result at the Theatre of Dreams.

The managers

United may have finally hit their stride last weekend but for now that remains a lone swallow, with Old Trafford still waiting for the summer sun to truly emerge. With more than £250 million invested in the squad since his appointment and only the minimum target of fourth place achieved – as well as a minimum of exuberant football produced – it is still Van Gaal’s CV, rather than his actual output over his year at United, which is keeping many fans onside. Advocaat needs a win for his sake as well as his team’s.

He’s currently living off favours earned not only by keeping the club’s head above water last term, but by attempting to instil a more attacking style of play than the doleful stuff served up by Gus Poyet.

That 4-1-4-1 system has been dispensed with in favour of one featuring two wingers and a second striker, and Advocaat will be hoping his positivity can draw chances from a hesitant United defence as his countryman Ronald Koeman’s did a week before.

Facts and figures

• Anthony Martial could become the first player to score in each of his first 3 Premier League appearances for Manchester United.
• The Red Devils have scored with all 6 shots on target in their last 2 Premier League games (against Liverpool and Southampton).
• Sunderland have only defeated the Red Devils once in their last 26 Premier League encounters (W1 D6 L19).
  More FFT Stats Zone facts

FourFourTwo prediction

Whether United get an early goal could decide whether it’s a rout or a wrangle. 2-0.

Man United vs Sunderland LIVE ANALYSIS with Stats Zone

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