Manchester United

We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between Manchester United and Sunderland.

Here are some of your comments:

Man Utd fans

Bob: Very small tweaks made a very big difference. Plus, it's nice to have a goalkeeper who at last who appears to know his job. When Matheus Cunha finally snicks into gear we may have a chance of top five... maybe!

Brian: Any win in a good win. The performance was better overall but as a side we give the ball away in the middle third far too easily with players out of position. This put us immediately under pressure. I struggle to understand why we don't knock more balls in the air into the box now we have a centre forward who is 6ft 5in. In summary, there was better quality of passing and better balls into areas we can score from. We can and will play better.

Paul: Really good performance from the players with plenty of good pressing and passing. Benjamin Sesko was a revelation and Senne Lammens showed why we bought him with a good first outing. Ruben Amorim made his usual strange substitutions but thankfully it didn't affect the result. What we need now is consistency and the results should follow.

Sam: It is a much-needed win, however, how often have we seen this before from United? They are consistently average, then receive criticism from all sources, and then put in a reasonable shift to scrape a win. Amorim is the wrong man in my honest opinion, and this group of players are unrecognisable as a true Manchester United team, unfortunately.

Sunderland fans

David: The first 35 minutes was arguably the poorest we have defended this season, until Regis le Bris was brave enough to admit that he had picked the wrong XI and change the system. We then held our own against an impressive United but, being greedy, we still need to work on being more of an attacking threat and a cutting edge. Great start to the season overall though.

Andre: So kicking someone's armpit or chest isn't a foul is it not? It has to be the head apparently. Isn't a high foot kicking any part of the opposition player a foul? A high foot is a high foot. And to book Bertrand Traore when he was clearly wiped out was shocking too.

Peter: Not fantastic but because of our great start, the disappointment is dampened. I hoped we could win as Man Utd have come under so much pressure. Le Bris will be frustrated to not take all three or even one but still such a positive start.

Lee: The shape was wrong to begin with but that's fine because it was spotted and changed. However, our passing was well off and it was frustrating not to see us mix things up and go more direct to cause a bit of chaos. All too easy for Man Utd.

Out-of-favour Manchester United striker Joshua Zirkzee, 24, will consider staying in the Premier League if he leaves Old Trafford, with Everton and West Ham touted as potential destinations. (Teamtalk), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Monday's full gossip column

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Simon Stone
Manchester United reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester United's Mason Mount feels he can lead the charge to press opposition defences.

Under Erik ten Hag and now Ruben Amorim, United have seemed not able to get a concerted approach to their pressing game, with too many individuals trying to close down the opposition with no assistance.

Chosen ahead of Matheus Cunha in the left-sided 'number 10' slot against Sunderland, Mount led the press which unsettled the Black Cats, especially in the first half hour when the game was won.

"I see myself as bringing a lot of energy into the team and setting off the press at times, being a bit of a catalyst going forward," said Mount.

"It's something I focus on, helping the people around me and really bringing energy."

Amorim had only been at United for a month when Mount suffered the hamstring injury at Manchester City that kept him out for more than three months.

It was a big blow to the new coach, who knew the 26-year-old had more experience of his formation than most of his team-mates after working with Thomas Tuchel and Gareth Southgate.

"At the beginning especially, it was something that maybe he could lean on me for," said Mount.

"Knowing the roles and what he wants out of the team resonates with me because I've done it before. It's something I understand."

It will be interesting to see how Mount's role evolves given Cunha was a big-money summer signing and was expected to be a central figure in United's development going forward.

For now, Mount is happy to have started and scored his first goal of the season – and his first Premier League goal at Old Trafford.

"It was massive for me," he said. "Really important. I enjoyed that."

Simon Stone
Chief football news reporter

Senne Lammens' introduction was one of a number of positives for United.

They have now won three home games in a row for the first time in over two years. That first clean sheet is important and if results elsewhere go their way they may enter the international break in the top half of the table.

Yet Ruben Amorim, who went into the game under huge pressure amid conflicting reports about Sir Jim Ratcliffe's support for him, needs much more.

The trip to Liverpool on 19 October has the potential – again – to mark United winning two consecutive Premier League games for the first time in well over a year. They have been in this position twice already this season, gone away from home, to Manchester City and Brentford, and lost.

"There is no momentum," said Amorim. "We know what happens when we win one game. The frustration is not to see the same team at home and away."

Amorim needs to get a sequence of positive results to persuade the hierarchy and the fans he can deliver the meaningful impact United were searching for when they employed him nearly a year ago.

After Liverpool comes a sequence of fixtures – Brighton, Nottingham Forest, Tottenham, Everton, Crystal Palace - that will determine his future.

Goalscorer Mason Mount said after the game the players are behind Amorim. The former Sporting coach can feel that too.

"I know they want to do their best and I know they don't want to change the coach all the time," said Amorim.

"But like I said during this week, to be with the manager is: 'I will kill myself to go in every transition'. We need to show with actions."

Read Simon Stone's full analysis of Lammens' debut and United's win here

Pundits Alan Shearer and Wayne Rooney join host Gabby Logan to bring you the action and talking points from Saturday's Premier League fixtures and Friday's action.

Watch on BBC iPlayer here

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• Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

• Manchester United 2-0 Sunderland

• Chelsea 2-1 Liverpool

Simon Stone
Chief football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

After leaving Lammens on the bench for the first three games since his deadline-day move from Royal Antwerp, Amorim finally decided it was time to put the Belgian into the Premier League fray ahead of Altay Bayindir.

The decision went down well with the United supporters, who cheered his name when it was read out over the tannoy for the first time an hour before kick-off and did the same again just before the teams came out.

Lammens proved his value in a 90-second period just before the break.

First, he flung himself to the left to make a low save from Sunderland skipper Granit Xhaka, whose long-range effort was possibly creeping in by the post. Then he came confidently to collect Noah Sadiki's high ball.

The 23-year-old did something similar at the end of the game too, keeping out Chemsdine Talbi's low shot with his legs before rising high to claim a ball that was looping into a danger area.

By no means was Lammens perfect.

Bertrand Traore was convinced he was taken out by a combination of Lammens and United skipper Bruno Fernandes after he nicked the ball between them and went down just outside the box.

If he had been, Lammens might have been in trouble. As it was, referee Stuart Atwell booked Traore for diving and VAR Neil Davies agreed.

It still did not take away the fact Lammens had dashed out of his goal and not got the ball, the kind of moment that would have drawn huge criticism had it featured Bayindir or Andre Onana.

But results can mask all manner of mistakes and United got one - and a clean sheet - thanks to Mount, whose left-foot control and right-foot finish were exceptional, and Sesko, who only needed quick reactions and one touch from three yards to score his second goal in as many games.

Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim speaking to BBC Sport after their victory over Sunderland: "That is the kind of game where when we're not playing well we're defending well. We had our moments, we were focussed and competitive. Not the perfect performance. Senne [Lammens] did really well. We were a competitive and adult team today. We need to win these games with a clean sheet. Good for us.

"We need to understand that we need everyone to be ready to play. It's a long season, we have a lot of problems, anything can happen. The important thing is that the teammates helped Lammens a lot to have a very good performance."

On Benjamin Sesko: "He has time, he's going to stay here for a lot of years. The media puts a lot of pressure on the goals for the striker but for me it's the effort that is the most important thing. Every time we kick the ball he's fighting for it, that's massive for us. To win the second ball and give us time to breathe. I'm really happy with that.

"It's frustrating to not have this kind of performance again. We need to do this kind of performance away as well - it's our responsibility to play like this."

Did you know?

• Manchester United have won four of their last eight Premier League games (D1 L3), as many wins as in their previous 21 (W4 D5 L12).

• Mason Mount's opener for Manchester United against Sunderland rounded off an 18-pass move, the joint-most for a goal in the Premier League this season and their most in a league game since Bruno Fernandes v Burnley in September 2023 (also 18).

Listen to more from Amorim and Benjamin Sesko on BBC Sounds

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

Have your say on United's performance

What did you make of Sunderland's display?

Come back on Monday for a selection of your replies

Ruben Amorim hands deadline day arrival Senne Lammens his debut for Manchester United.

Lammens was an £18.1m signing from Royal Antwerp but has spent three games on the bench.

Mason Mount, Casemiro, Amad and Leny Yoro are all included as Matheus Cunha, Harry Maguire, Patrick Dorgu and Manuel Ugarte drop to the bench.

Manchester United XI: Lammens, Yoro, De Ligt, Shaw, Amad, Casemiro, Fernandes, Dalot, Mbeumo, Mount, Sesko. Substitutes: Bayindir, Maguire, Cunha, Zirkzee, Dorgu, Ugarte, Heaven, Leon, Mainoo.

Sunderland make two changes to the side that won at Nottingham Forest last week.

Bertrand Traore and Simon Adringa are both included as Chris Rigg and Chemsdine Talbi drop to the bench.

Sunderland XI: Roefs, Masuaku, Alderete, Mukiele, Hume, Sadiki, Xhaka, Le Fee, Traore, Adringa, Isidor. Substitutes: Patterson, Neil, Ballard, Geertruida, Talbi, Brobbey, Rigg, Mayenda, O'Nein.

There are four games in the Premier League on Saturday and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.

• Leeds United v Tottenham (12:30)

• Arsenal v West Ham - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Manchester United v Sunderland - listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

• Chelsea v Liverpool (17:30) - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

Kick-off times 15:00 BST unless stated

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Sunderland fans should be thanking me, really, because I keep saying they will be beaten and Regis le Bris' side keep on proving me wrong.

So far, I've said the Black Cats will lose five of their six games. The other one was against Burnley in week two, where I went for a draw... and they suffered their only defeat of the season.

I am going to do the dirty on them this week, and I am going to predict they will win - which obviously means they won't - so apologies to all Sunderland supporters, because they must be absolutely furious with me for doing this.

I am not just backing them for the sake of it, clearly. They are extremely well organised and everything about them has been impressive.

Manchester United, on the other hand, are still a mess.

You can blame Ruben Amorim for that as much as you like but when your centre-half is running out and taking a chance on an offside on a long ball, like Harry Maguire did for Brentford's first goal last week, then that is just terrible defending.

That's where I feel for Amorim. Altay Bayindir should also have done better with Brentford's second goal and the goalkeeping situation is perplexing too - they have brought Senne Lammens in, but where is he?

It is just all muddled thinking at United and Amorim is starting to look like a guy who wants to be put out of his misery.

They are just not improving under him, although he might actually get a result here off the back of me saying Sunderland will win.

Sutton's prediction: 0-1

Read the full predictions and have your say here