Ruben Amorim can emulate Sir Alex Ferguson vs Sunderland, stats show Man United the dangerman
Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim desperately needs a Premier League victory when his side welcome Sunderland on Saturday.
Man United were beaten 3-1 by Brentford in their last game, and must bounce back when they face the newly-promoted Mackems.
The Red Devils have lost three of their first six fixtures in the Premier League this season, with Amorim struggling to show signs of improvement.
Contrastingly, Sunderland defeated Nottingham Forest 1-0 in their last outing, and have taken well to top-flight life.
Sunderland clash marks Ruben Amorim’s 50th game in charge of Man United
Amorim is under increasing sack pressure, but Man United’s Premier League clash with Sunderland will mark his 50th game in charge of the North West outfit across all competitions.
The Red Devils boss will be keen to mark that milestone with a victory, but Regis Le Bris’ men haven’t lost in the Premier League since a 2-0 defeat to Burnley in August.
If Amorim beats the Black Cats, he will be the first Man United boss to win his 50th game in charge of the Red Devils since Sir Alex Ferguson’s victory over Bury back in 1987.
Granit Xhaka is Sunderland’s clear dangerman, Ruben Amorim should be wary
Sunderland’s increasingly impressive start to the Premier League season indicates that the Wearsiders are likely to break the trend of newly-promoted clubs facing an immediate return to the Championship.
| Granit Xhaka 2025/26 Premier League | Stats |
| Appearances | 6 |
| Pass accuracy % | 83.3 |
| Chances created | 8 |
| Assists | 3 |
| Goals | 0 |
Former Arsenal captain Granit Xhaka has been on particularly strong form, assisting each of the Black Cats’ last three goals in the Premier League, helping his side to wins over Brentford and Forest, either side of draws with Crystal Palace and Aston Villa.
If Man United fail to deal with the 33-year-old, he could inflict further trouble on Amorim heading into the October international break.
The Red Devils should be particularly eager to beat Sunderland, so that they head into their clash with rivals Liverpool on 19 October with momentum behind them.
Meanwhile, Le Bris’ side will fancy their chances of earning another home win against Wolves after the international break, following their trip to Old Trafford.
The Mackems have not visited Man United since December 2016, when goals from Daley Blind, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and Henrikh Mkhitaryan fired the Old Trafford club to victory.