THIS was one of those forgettable games to place at the end of the Match of the Day running order.
With one team assured of Champions League football and the other’s safety secured long ago, it was telling that none of the broadcasters bothered to select this fixture.
It was Manchester United’s first Saturday 3pm kick-off in six months. They did not have a shot on target until the 93rd minute.
Michael Carrick suggested there would be no issue in motivating the United players yet his mass rotation contributed to the low quality.
The incentive that a win would guarantee United finishing above Liverpool was undermined by Carrick’s five changes – the most alterations he has made to a United starting XI.
It showed. Joshua Zirkzee and Mason Mount were afforded their first starts since December and January and both practically played out of position.
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Noussair Mazraoui lined up for only the fourth time in five months and Lisandro Martinez returned from suspension for a second start in three months.
Amad, also recalled, did not brighten up at the Stadium of Light, where he left as a cult hero after a season on loan in 2022-23. The winger made way in the second half.
Mount occupied the defensive midfield role while Zirkzee reminded everyone that he is not a No9.
Zirkzee, an illogical starter and an illogical signing, was replaced by Patrick Dorgu after 65 miserable minutes.
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Regis Le Bris got a reaction from his players in their first match back at home since Sunderland’s extraordinary 5-0 capitulation to Nottingham Forest.
They were the better side and had the better chances. Senne Lammens, against the club he made his United debut for in October, was the man of the match.
When Lammens was beaten in the 71st minute, Lutsharel Geetruida’s effort rolled against the woodwork.
It was bitingly cold on Wearside and United were caught cold. Bruno Fernandes played a pass into touch and immediately blamed Amad for his positioning.
‘Not the way I saw it’ – Halsey
FORMER Premier League referee and SunSport columnist Mark Halsey had his say on the clash between Nilson Angulo and Bruno Fernandes…
“Late in the second half at the Stadium of Light between Sunderland and Manchester United, there was an incident between Bruno Fernandes and Nilson Angulo.
“I think Bruno was looking for a red card for an act of violent conduct.
“That’s not the way I saw it.
“Obviously, Bruno’s got the ball, Nilson Angulo has come from behind, leading with his forearm, and he does just brush Fernandes around the side-top of the neck and face.
“For me, it’s not violent conduct.
“VAR was absolutely spot on not to get involved because it’s subjective. So VAR wouldn’t get involved in that. They’d only get involved if they felt it was a clear and obvious error for violent conduct, which it wasn’t.
“So in my opinion, I do think that Nilson Angulo was lucky not to receive a yellow card, a caution for reckless use of the arm, because he did lead with his forearm.
“I was surprised referee Stuart Attwell didn’t see it in real time, but the game is so fast these days, it does make it difficult sometimes.”
That set the tone for a performance not in keeping with Fernandes’ phenomenal form.
His FWA Player of the Year award on Friday night was the equivalent of the commentator’s curse.
Sunderland were more motivated from the off. Chemsdine Talbi curled narrowly wide and Ndah Sadiki soon ran through one-on-one with Lammens, who anticipated his attempted near-post finish and palmed the ball wide.
Amad, afforded a round of applause upon his arrival at his old club, had United’s first sighter but placed his shot wide of Robin Roefs’ right-hand post.
Lammens was soon in the thick of it again to rush out and smother the ball at Brian Brobbey’s feet.
United’s supporters’ enthusiasm was not dampened, as they kept themselves entertained by singing Kobbie Mainoo’s new chant en masse. That was arguably their highlight.
Mount, playing the Casemiro role in the absence of the Brazilian and Manuel Ugarte, imposed himself with some well-timed tackles before cynically tripping Trai Hume.
He pushed his luck with another foul that still did not warrant a yellow card. The ball bouncing on to Amad’s midriff did not warrant a second look from referee Stuart Attwell after a VAR check.
Zirkzee got on the end of a Matheus Cunha outswinger but nodded well over in a rare opportunity for the misfit.
Mount blocked a goal-bound effort from Brobbey while Fernandes vented at Zirkzee. Omar Alderete got a rise out of Zirkzee by hacking at his heels, causing the Dutchman to snap at Attwell.
Fernandes was then on Mount’s case for going right when he was on the left for a counter-attack that Sunderland successfully scuppered.
The United captain ended the first half with his head in his hands after Zirkzee failed to play a routine square pass to him on the edge of the area.
For all the rancour over Attwell’s officiating against United at Bournemouth seven weeks earlier, the Sunderland fans were more miffed with his officiating. He was subjected to a harsh chorus of “you don’t know what you’re doing”.
Carrick spared United’s underperformers from a half-time substitution yet there was no improvement. Amad latched on to a loose ball but failed to angle it into Cunha’s path at the far post.
Mount finally saw yellow for nibbling at Alderete, his card generating some gallows humour from the Mackems. Alderete was in the wars again and Zirkzee followed Mount into the book.
Brobbey, another Dutch forward once of interest to United, was sprung through and got the wrong side of Maguire yet struck too close to Lammens.
He was then involved in a physical confrontation with his old Ajax team-mate Martinez.
Brobbey milked the contact, much to the dismay of Maguire, who stooped over Brobbey and urged him to get up.
And late on, Nilson Angulo avoided a red card for catching Fernandes with a stray arm.
This was not one to wait up for on Match of the Day.
