Manchester United won a third successive Premier League (PL) home game for the first time in over two years, as a dazzling first-half performance helped them beat Sunderland 2-0 at Old Trafford.
United finally pulled the trigger on handing new goalkeeper Senne Lammens his debut, but it was opposite number Robin Roefs in the spotlight in a one-sided first half.
The Black Cats stopper made six saves and kept clean sheets in each of their last two away matches, but there was nothing he could do about Mason Mount’s strike in the eighth minute, as the Englishman expertly picked out the bottom corner from just inside the box, having been found by Bryan Mbeumo.
Mount’s first goal for the Red Devils at Old Trafford sparked them into life, and only a number of good saves from Roefs kept Sunderland in the contest.
Ruben Amorim’s men were particularly dangerous down the right, where Amad Diallo and Mbeumo both saw curling strikes kept out by Roefs, before the Sunderland goalkeeper made a tremendous save to tip Bruno Fernandes’ strike onto the woodwork, with Amad’s header on the rebound drifting wide of the target.
It seemed only a matter of time until the second goal arrived, and Benjamin Sesko was the man to finally get it, converting his second goal in as many matches with a close-range volley after Sunderland failed to deal with Diogo Dalot’s long throw.
Given his side’s struggles, Regis Le Bris hauled Simon Adingra off before the break, bringing in centre-back Dan Ballard in an effort to repel some of United’s attacks.
They stabilised somewhat from there, with Granit Xhaka’s powerful long-range drive even forcing Lammens into his first save as a United goalkeeper, before his corner gave Ballard a free header at the back post, which the defender could only direct off target.
The visitors failed to carry that momentum into the second period, with the game calming down as a whole as neither side managed a shot on target in the first 40 minutes after the restart.
Eliezer Mayenda curled over late on for Sunderland before Lammens denied Chemsdine Talbi, but their lack of attacking threat throughout meant a comeback never materialised.
Amorim, therefore, becomes the first United manager since Sir Alex Ferguson to win his 50th game in charge, with the victory also extending their unbeaten league run against promoted sides to 25 matches.
Sunderland remain a point above the Red Devils after just a second league defeat of the campaign, while the result stretches their miserable Premier League form away in Manchester, winning just one of their last 30 trips to face United or City in the competition.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Amad Diallo (Manchester United)
