Match Preview: Sunderland v Manchester United — Let’s Get Behind The Lads For The Final Three!

***Saturday 9th May 2026***

Sunderland v Manchester United – ***Premier League***

**Stadium of Light** – ***Kick-Off:*** 15:00

**Tickets & Match Coverage**

**Tickets:** Tickets are sold out. **TV/Stream:** Full live match coverage is unavailable. **Radio:** Full live match commentary available via BBC Radio Newcastle (not online)

*Don’t forget to follow the blow-by-blow account of the game on the Roker Report Twitter feed (**@RokerReport**) and check out the player ratings after the full-time whistle at* *www.RokerReport.sbnation.com!*

**The build-up…**

It’s funny because when I think of Manchester United coming to town, I immediately think we’ve done well against them. My memory goes straight back to Gary Bennett turning into Diego Maradona at Roker Park in 1990 and Reidy’s Sunderland beating Fergie’s United in the last season at Roker Park – but our record at home against them is crap. This century, we’ve taken them on fourteen times in the Premier League at the Stadium of Light – we’ve won just once and only drawn three. I’m sure you’re already casting your mind back to that game we won back in February 2016 – just over a decade ago(!) – when Big Sam orchestrated a 2-1 win over Van Gaal’s United. Anyway, now we’ve got that out of the way, we can get on to some positives. For a start, Le Bris said during the week that only long-term absentee Romain Mundle, along with Vidal Sassoon wannabee, , are unavailable for selection today – which means he has plenty of options. Thinking back to the game at Old Trafford, Le Bris changed the shape during the game for the better, but unfortunately, we’d already gone behind. So that’s one positive. Another is the fact that although United’s form is generally good under Michael Carrick, he still appears to be finding a way of playing away from home. In the last five on the road, they have beaten & , but only drew against and , and suffered defeat up the road against the Visitors. It’s the penultimate home game, only three fixtures left in total, five points behind sixth-placed Bournemouth, we’ve got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it’s dark, and we’re wearing sunglasses. Hit it.