The 2025/26 Premier League season has entered its endgame, and only three matchdays remain for the curtain call as battles across the table gather steam. Gameweek 36 will kick off this weekend, and the latest round of fixtures will start with the game between Liverpool and Chelsea at Anfield on Saturday afternoon before continuing with three simultaneous matches, including Sunderland vs Manchester United at the Stadium of Light.
Sunderland may have been one of the surprise packages of the 2025/26 Premier League season, but they are limping towards a lower mid-table finish. The Black Cats have been underwhelming in recent weeks, and they will head into Saturday’s match on the back of a three-game winless run in the top flight. However, all is not lost yet, and the Wearside outfit can still qualify for a European competition, as they are only four points behind seventh-placed Brentford.
On the other hand, Manchester United will not have much to play for in the final three games of the 2025/26 season. The Red Devils have endured an imfamously historic season, as they will play only 40 games this term. However, they have mounted a stunning recovery under Michael Carrick, securing a spot in the 2026/27 UEFA Champions League with three games left.
The reverse fixture saw Manchester United clinch a hard-fought 2-0 win over Sunderland, with Mason Mount and Benjamin Sesko finding the back of the net. The Hard Tackle looks closer at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Roefs; Mukiele, Alderete, O’Nien, Hume; Diarra, Xhaka, Sadiki; Rigg, Brobbey, Le Fee
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Lammens; Dalot, Maguire, Heaven, Shaw; Casemiro, Mainoo; Mbeumo, Bruno Fernandes, Cunha; Sesko
While Granit Xhaka, Brian Brobbey, and Benjamin Sesko were viable candidates for this section, we have picked Bruno Fernandes as the Player to Watch for Saturday’s Premier League clash between Sunderland and Manchester United at the Stadium of Light.
The Manchester United skipper has created five or more chances in 14 different Premier League games in 2025/26. Since 2003/04, only Mesut Ozil has done so more often in a season (15 in 2015/16). His 120 chances created this season is the most by a United player in one campaign on record since 2003/04. With the assists record in sight, the Portuguese international will be the go-to player for the away side this weekend.
A few months ago, this tie may have been a banana-skin fixture for Manchester United, as Sunderland could do little wrong, while they were blowing hot and cold. However, the Red Devils have been exceptional under Michael Carrick, and with Bruno Fernandes chasing the all-time Premier League assists record for a season, they will go all guns blazing.
Meanwhile, Manchester United have scored in their last 23 Premier League games since a 1-0 home loss to Everton in November. Only once have they enjoyed a longer scoring run in the competition, going 36 games between December 2007 and November 2008.
That streak should continue this weekend, with the visitors continuing their exceptional run under Carrick.
