The job of Ruben Amorim is safe, at least for now, despite Manchester United continuing to be shambolic. They’re 14th in the table, ahead of a visit from Sunderland on Saturday. Amorim has four unavailability concerns for this match: Amad Diallo, Noussair Mazraoui, Casemiro and Lisandro Martinez.
Of course, the last one that we listed there is more static, as Lucha is still recovering from a long-term knee injury.
Manchester United vs Sunderland FYIs
Kickoff: Sat. Oct. 4, 3pm, Old Trafford, Manchester, UK
Manchester United Preview Material: Team News Starting XI Prediction
Premier League Standing: Manchester United 14th, 7 pts, Sunderland 5th, 11 pts
Google Result Probability: Manchester United 65% Draw 20% Sunderland 15%
Man United Team News
Let’s start with Casemiro, he will be ready for selection here against Sunderland, after he served his suspension last weekend, in the surprise loss to Brentford. Casemiro was sent off in the shocking win over Chelsea, after he acquired two yellow cards.
Elsewhere Noussair’s thigh injury will rule him out until after the upcoming October FIFA window, with Amorim telling the media on Friday: “(Mazroui) is out also. He will not be back until the international break.”
And then finally Amad Diallo missed last weekend’s match due to bereavement leave. He is expected to return here.
Amorim explained at his Friday news conference last week: “He is not here because someone in his family passed away. We are giving all the support to Amad and understand he needed to return home.”
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Washington Post and ESPN. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter