Manchester United V Sunderland – Saturday 3rd October

 

English Premiership 2009/2010

 

 

Manchester United V Sunderland

 

 

Kick-off: Saturday 3^rd October – 17:15 GMT

Venue: The KC Stadium

TV Coverage: ESPN

 

 

Manchester United

 

League Position: 1st

Recent Form: WWWWW

 

  

It wasn’t just a game of two halves for United but also a game dictated by two players as Nemenja Vidic and Ryan Giggs stole all the plaudits as United recorded their sixth victory of the season, and their fifth on the bounce, as they beat a tough Stoke City at The Brittania last Saturday. The home of Stoke is always a tough place to go for any side but Man Utd avoided any potential banana skin when they ran out rather comfortable 2-0 winners come the very end, although, they didn’t completely have it their own way.

  

The first half saw Stoke dictate most of the play but United rallied in midfield and forced Stoke to play long balls over the top, of which, Nemenja Vidic was waiting to clean up any potential long ball attempts. He was a rock in the heart of the United defence on Saturday and were it not for his stunning aerial display, United could have come under more scrutiny from Stoke.

  

The second half was when the game really turned on it’s head when Sir Alex decided to introduce veteran Ryan Giggs into the fray. He burst onto the second half scene and instantly provided Dimitar Berbatov with a simple tap in, and then he was the supplier again as John O’Shea headed home United’s second. That inspired substitution was the turning point in a game United were struggling to get on top of. Fergie spotted that United weren’t exploiting the flanks enough and Giggs was the perfect sub in the circumstances. At 35 years-of-age, Ryan Giggs is showing everyone, especially his manager, that he still has what it takes to cut it at the highest level with a man of the match second half display.

 

Manchester United really do look good this year, especially as they’re apparently a lot lighter this season. They came out smelling of roses, once again, even though they didn’t play particularly well. They rode the early Stoke storm and soon got their just rewards with two second half goals. United have shown signs of resilience in recent weeks, with their performance against both Man City & Stoke City very creditable indeed and just one of a host of reasons why United are becoming a popular bet with punters to win the Premiership outright and retain their crown.

 

 

Sunderland

 

League Position: 8th

Recent Form: WLWLW

 

  

Steve Bruce guided Sunderland to their fourth win of the season on Sunday when the Black Cats eventually got the better off a battling Wolves side at The Stadium of Light. Sunderland won quite convincingly come the end, on the score line at least, but Wolves made a game of it up until about the 60th minute mark when Steve Bruce watched on as his team squander a 2-0 lead as Wolves pulled two back just after the break. However it was Kenwyn Jones, one half of a deadly striking partnership for Sunderland this season, who scored Sunderland’s third and the eventual catalyst goal as Sunderland then went on to record a rather comfortable and, somewhat deceiving, 5-2 victory on Tyneside.

  

Sunderland were far from convincing in attack though, which, seeing as they did actually find the opposing goal on five separate occasions, is a surprise. In fact, it was Wolves who enjoyed the vast amount of success in the second half only to see their hard work go in vein. However, Steve Bruce won’t care too much about the performance as his side registered a vital set of three points, points that have now lifted Sunderland back into the top ten of the league. The ‘Black Cats’ now find themselves in eighth position and are looking fair contenders for a Europa League finish this season, providing they learn from their weekend mistakes.

 

Sunderland’s biggest asset this season comes in the form of their new, deadly striking partnership of Darren Bent & Kenwyn Jones. Both have bags of pace & agility, whilst the pair are pretty decent in the air, also. The two have nine goals between them this season, six for new signing Darren Bent and three for the Sunderland favourite, Kenwyn Jones. The pair are pivotal for Sunderland this season and, if Sunderland are to have an enjoyable campaign this term, you would feel it will be down to the success of these two in the oppositions third.

 

 

 

Head-to-Head:

 

 

Manchester United W: 8 Sunderland W: 0 Draws: 2

 

 

A huge negative for any Sunderland fan is that the Black Cats have never beaten Manchester United in the league, with United winning eight of the last ten meetings, ten of the previous twelve, also. The best Sunderland have managed in previous outings against United is a draw, although, Sunderland did hold United to a 0-0 draw, at Old Trafford, back in the 2005/2006. With Steve Bruce reinforcing the club over the summer, can he pull off a mini-shock against his former gaffer; Sir Alex Ferguson.

 

 

Over 2.5 Goals: 6 Under 2.5 Goals: 4

 

 

Although the strike rate of goals in this game does appear high, the fact that the previous three meetings in Manchester have had no more than 1 goal in each will put several off backing goals in this game. Sunderland never head to Old Trafford in the mindset of attacking the ‘Red Devils’ and we expect no different on Saturday, but will they leave gaps when they do decide to venture into the United half?

 

 

 

Match Verdict: Manchester United to WIN – 1/5 PaddyPower

 

We would love to correctly predict a United slip up but we just can’t see it. They are one of the inform sides in the league right now and, although Sunderland have looked a real threat up top, United should have more than enough to not only handle what Sunderland throw at them, but also dish out some heavy punches, ones that Sunderland won’t be able to withstand. We wouldn’t say this will be comfortable but, with Sunderland now boasting some quality attackers, and with the Black Cats used to playing on the front foot of late, their attacking tendencies could leave them a tad exposed at the back, something United will be licking their lips at.

 

 

 

Match Odds:

 

 

Manchester United – 1/5 PaddyPower

 

Sunderland – 14/1 SkyBet

 

Draw – 11/2 Bet365

 

 

 

SoccerBetting Tip: Over 2.5 Goals – 8/15 Bet365