Manchester United picked up three very needed points on Saturday, and did so with a positive performance that the team can hopefully build on after the international break.
For almost the entirety of Ruben
Amorim’s tenure at Old Trafford, the club has struggled to establish form and string positive performances together. While there isn’t an opportunity to add a second win until after the Premier League break, and at Anfield for that matter, the performance against Sunderland was reminiscent of a time when there wasn’t so much pressure on every match, and not so much drama involved in every win.
In other words…
Amorim rotated his team, introducing Amad back to the wing-back role with Mason Mount operating as the left-sided No. 10 and Diogo Dalot as the left wing-back. Senne Lammens also made his debut in goal for the Reds, and though he wasn’t really tested, he stepped up when needed.
The change in personnel paid off early with Mount finding the net, controlling a cross from Bryan Mbeumo and firing with his second touch, getting a shot off unusually quick considering the side’s aversion to just taking the damn shot. It caught the keeper off guard and found the bottom corner, and kickstarted a dominant first half from United.
The Reds fired off nine shots in the first half, and found the net twice. Striker Benjamin Sesko got on the end of a long throw set piece around the half-hour mark to double the lead and bag his first Old Trafford goal in front of the Stretford End.
With an advantage at the half, the second half was treated as more of a write-off at times rather than an opportunity to add to the lead, but Sunderland didn’t get a real chance to make it a game until the 88th minute.
Senne Lammens had a nice claim on a cross late in the first half, which got a standing ovation from Old Trafford, but more importantly, he made a quick save with his feet in the final minutes to avoid a more interesting period of stoppage time. He wasn’t under fire too much, but he made important contributions when called upon and looked comfortable. A clean sheet on his debut certainly isn’t anything to scoff at.
Overall, a good performance to earn a much-needed win for United. The more ambitious approach, Amad at wing-back, the creation of chances beyond the opening minutes, and a stronger midfield performance could be explained by playing against a newly promoted side, but Sunderland have been difficult for anyone to play against this season. Still, it needs to be the start of something more for this match to have more meaning.
For now, we celebrate 3 points and not being the crisis club at the international break.
