please log in to view this image BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE Venue: Stadium of Light Date: Saturday, 5 October, KO 17:30 Loan striker Fabio Borini returns to the Sunderland squad after being ineligible to play against parent club Liverpool last weekend. Steven Fletcher (dislocated shoulder), Wes Brown (calf) and Andrea Dossena (thigh) are still out. Wayne Rooney should start for Manchester United if he recovers from a shin injury sustained in training on Tuesday. Rio Ferdinand (groin) and Tom Cleverley are both injury doubts. MATCH PREVIEW As a destination to 'get away from it all', Donetsk wouldn't feature prominently in travel brochures. But this week's long Champions League trip to the furthest reaches of Ukraine might have done Manchester United the world of good. An improved performance, a point gained, and time away from the growing concern over United's worst ever start to a Premier League season certainly won't have done David Moyes any harm. As if he didn't know it already, the last fortnight has shown that "the most difficult job in football" (© anyone & everyone) - succeeding Sir Alex Ferguson - is exactly that. LAWRO'S PREDICTION "I expect Manchester United to bounce back after last week's defeat by West Brom - a draw was a decent result for them against Shakhtar Donetsk, and David Moyes just has to ride out the storm at the moment. Because it is United and because they have a new manager, every time they do not win a game it will always make massive headlines." A game against the league's bottom club should bring some respite, but also huge pressures. Can you imagine the reaction and chatter if United lose again? They've not lost three in a row in the Premier League for nigh on 12 years and they have never lost a league game at the Stadium of Light. They haven't even conceded a goal there in their last four visits. Last season's 1-0 United win proved to be Martin O'Neill's final game as Sunderland boss, and the same could be true of Kevin Ball in his temporary tenure (second time round!). The Interim Head Coach has acknowledged that something needs to happen on appointing Paolo Di Canio's successor after this game, and with the smart money on an experienced manager taking charge, Ball is unlikely to be that man. Could a famous win in this game change that? We might well never know, although Ball does have history there. He was captain of the last Sunderland side to beat United in the league, back in 1997. Here's another statistical quirk to end on. When Manchester United lost three in a row in 2001, their third defeat was against West Ham. Sunderland's John O'Shea played in that game for United, whilst United's Michael Carrick played for the Hammers - as did Paolo Di Canio. Irrelevant? Yes. Interesting? To some of us. MATCH FACTS Head-to-head Sunderland have not beaten Manchester United in the Premier League since March 1997, when they won 2-1 at home. That is Sunderland's only victory over United in 24 Premier League meetings overall. The highest-scoring match between the two clubs was a 5-3 United top-flight victory at Roker Park on Boxing Day in 1950. Sunderland Sunderland are now 10 games without a win or clean sheet in the Premier League since a 1-0 victory over Everton in April 2013. The Black Cats remain one of only three teams that have yet to keep a Premier League clean sheet this season (alongside Crystal Palace and Fulham). They had 23 shots against Liverpool last weekend - their most in a Premier League game since December 2011. Manchester United United have their lowest points tally after six games of a Premier League season. It's their worst top-flight start since 1989-90. They have never won the title in a top-flight season where they've lost three or more of their opening six games. The last team to win the top-flight title after having lost three of their first six games was Portsmouth in 1949-50. United are 12th going into Saturday's games - their lowest league position at this stage of a season since 1986. Against West Brom, Wayne Rooney scored from a free-kick for the third Premier League game in a row. The last player to score more in a single season was Cristiano Ronaldo (four in 2008-09). Should be able to put a direct stream to sky : http://ana1.me/sky1.html please log in to view this image Radio commentary : http://www.safc.com/news/club-news/2013/august/sign-up-for-free-video-with-safsee
Westwood, Celustka, Colback, O'Shea, Roberge, Cattermole, Ki, Gardner, Johnson, Giaccherini, Altidore. Subs: Cabral, Larsson, Wickham, Cuellar, Dong-won, Borini, Mannone. De Gea, Rafael, Evra, Vidic, Jones, Carrick, Cleverley, Januzaj, Nani, Rooney, van Persie. Subs: Giggs, Smalling, Chicharito, Welbeck, Valencia, Kagawa, Lindegaard.
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Good to see Celutska back and Cuellar not starting! Quite like that team overall although I guess it means Gardner playing behind Jozy with Giaccherini on the left... Would rather see Giacc in the middle, think it's his best position but that's a minor quibble. Rooney and RVP both fit... oh dear
I'd play Gards next to catts myself and play Ki further up the pitch. It is Ki's natural position and might give more attacking threat if he's receiving the ball in a more advanced position, and it would allow our front one to form a front three easily, fullbacks pushing forward would add the width and the extra steel of Gards in front of the defence will give it some protection when the fullbacks push on. Easy to revert to a 451 when we're on the back foot.
Roberge and Celustka replace Cuellar and Larsson. Valentin Roberge returns to the starting line-up as Sunderland face defending champions Manchester United at the Stadium of Light. The Frenchman starts alongside John O’Shea, with Carlos Cuellar dropping to the bench. There’s also a return for Ondrej Celustka, with Craig Gardner moving into midfield and Seb Larsson amongst the substitutes. Sunderland: Westwood, Celustka, Colback, O'Shea, Roberge, Cattermole, Ki, Gardner, Johnson, Giaccherini, Altidore. Subs: Cabral, Larsson, Wickham, Cuellar, Dong-won, Borini, Mannone. Man Utd: De Gea, Rafael, Evra, Vidic, Jones, Carrick, Cleverley, Januzaj, Nani, Rooney, van Persie. Subs: Giggs, Smalling, Chicharito, Welbeck, Valencia, Kagawa, Lindegaard.
