Manchester United vs. Sunderland Prediction: Amorim’s Last Stand?

• Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim is under pressure amid ongoing poor form

• Sunderland have had a fantastic start to the season following promotion

• Manchester United need to win this match but it will not be straightforward

Manchester United vs. Sunderland Odds

The odds for Manchester United vs. Sunderland can be found in the odds table below, courtesy of BetRivers sportsbook. Sign up for a BetRivers account and claim the welcome offer: $500 Bonus Bet.

My -124 Pick for Manchester United vs. Sunderland 

Manchester United are struggling for form but they are at least creating chances under Ruben Amorim. Sunderland have impressed so far, which is why I like the look of both teams to score.

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Amorim Still Struggling to Turn Manchester United Around

The clock is ticking on Ruben Amorim’s tenure as Manchester United manager. After a 15th-place finish in the Premier League last term, Amorim needed to make at least a decent start to the current campaign, particularly after some significant investment in the roster over the summer. Instead, United have been poor up to now.

Their first six league outings have yielded seven points, a tally which is only good enough for 14th place - behind Brentford, Everton and Leeds United among others. United are still yet to win back-to-back games in the top flight under Amorim, who is approaching a year at the helm of the 20-time champions.

It has been clear for some time that United's problems run deep. Numerous managers have failed to restore the club to its former glories in the post-Alex Ferguson era. Something fundamental is broken at Old Trafford and the blame cannot solely be laid at Amorim's door.

Having said that, the Portuguese is not doing himself any favors. It would be unreasonable to expect him to have got United back into the top four within 12 months, but being just a few spots above the relegation zone does not reflect well on Amorim. Nor does his bizarre devotion to the 3-4-3 formation, which Amorim refuses to move away from even when his team are chasing a goal against relegation contenders.

Indeed, Amorim persisted with his preferred setup until full-time of last weekend’s meeting with Brentford. There was a late goal in that encounter - but it was scored by United's opponents, who turned a 2-1 lead into a 3-1 victory when Mathias Jensen struck.

Amorim insisted after that match that he is not worried about losing his job, but unless things improve quickly, he will surely be fired. Time is running out for the under-fire Portuguese.

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Sunderland Flying High, but Survival Remains the Objective

Sunderland entered the season with more modest ambitions than Manchester United, but it is they who occupy a top-five berth going into the weekend. Regis Le Bris’s team have enjoyed a magnificent start following promotion from the Championship, but survival remains their primary objective.

Three wins and two draws in their first six games is a fantastic effort for last season's play-off winners. Sunderland beat Nottingham Forest 1-0 away from home last time out to climb up the standings, with only Liverpool, Arsenal, Crystal Palace and Tottenham Hotspur currently ahead of them.

It will be tough for Sunderland to maintain this pace. They would not be the first promoted team to start a season strongly before seeing their momentum halted in the fall or winter. Having said that, Sunderland have already boosted their chances of avoiding the drop.

The Black Cats splashed the cash in the summer to increase the standard of their roster. Yet spending money is no guarantee of success. Le Bris deserves great credit for the good work he has done at the Stadium of Light. Remember, Sunderland were outsiders for promotion last year. Now they are flying high in the top tier.

“It is good to win because it wasn't an easy challenge away from and it is our first win away in the league, so I'm really proud for our fans, the group and the squad because we worked hard,” Le Bris said after the defeat of Forest.

He is right to be proud. Sunderland are underdogs for Saturday’s trip to Old Trafford, but given the way both teams are playing right now, would anyone be truly surprised by an away win?

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Goals at Both Ends Looks Like a Safe Bet on Saturday

Given how low Manchester United are in the Premier League table, it will surprise many readers to learn that they actually rank top for expected goals (xG). According to the data, the Red Devils have created more chances than any other team in the league and have been let down by their poor finishing. United have only scored seven goals from an xG of 11.7.

Amorim will hope that United’s conversion soon matches their creation. The fact they are fashioning opportunities is a positive, so the Red Devils will be reasonably confident of finding the back of the net, even against a Sunderland side that has looked solid and robust in the first few weeks of 2025/26.

The Black Cats have also carried a consistent threat going forward, scoring in four of their six league games. They should also be able to take advantage of United’s frailties at the back. Only Burnley, West Ham United and Wolverhampton Wanderers have conceded more goals than Amorim’s team, who have given up more xG than all but two teams at the time of writing.

With all that in mind, both teams to score seems like a solid selection. This in-form Sunderland side will not be scared of United, but the latter have the attacking quality to breach their visitors’s backline. Goals at both ends is the way to go.

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How to Watch Manchester United vs. Sunderland

• Teams: Manchester United vs. Sunderland

• Location: Old Trafford, Manchester, England

• Date and Time: Saturday 4th October, 10.00AM ET

• How to Watch: USA Network