SUNDERLAND 2 MANCHESTER
UNITED 1
Barclays Premier League | 13 February 2016 |
Stadium of Light | Attendance: 41,687 | Scorers:
Khazri 3', Martial 39', De Gea o.g. 82'.
Manchester United fell to an agonising 2-1 defeat
at the Stadium of Light as a late Lamine Kone
header was diverted into his own net by the
unfortunate David de Gea.
Whabi Khazri opened the scoring with a third-
minute free-kick, before Anthony Martial equalised,
but United's defence was breached for a second
time as Kone's powerful downward header from a
corner rebounded off De Gea to send the Reds
home pointless.
United boss Louis van Gaal made one change to
his starting XI as Morgan Schneiderlin replaced
Marouane Fellaini, but there was a new and quite
aptly-named youngster on the bench with 21-year-
old defender Donald Love included in the matchday
squad for the first time on this Valentine's weekend
trip to Wearside. Will Keane was also among the
seven substitutes as a reward for his recent fine
form in the Under-21s.
United headed into this clash unbeaten in 13 visits
to the Stadium of Light and with the teams in the
top four facing off on Sunday, the Reds knew it
was an opportunity to close the gap. However, the
quest for a crucial victory got off to the worst
possible start after just three minutes.
After Patrick van Aanholt was blocked by Matteo
Darmian, Khazri's resulting left-wing free-kick
evaded everyone, including De Gea, and nestled in
off the far post to give the Black Cats a surprise
lead. It was the French-born Tunisian
international's first goal for the Black Cats
following his arrival in the January transfer window.
Minutes later Jermain Defoe battled with Chris
Smalling in the area and the United central
defender's block was crucial in preventing a second
goal for the hosts. Danger-man Khazri's fierce
strike then inadvertently hit Schneiderlin on the
arm, before he curled his effort over De Gea's
crossbar.
That second scare seemed to spark the Reds into
life and a succession of United corners followed
before Wayne Rooney found Juan Mata, who
opened the scoring in the 1-1 draw here last
season, but his effort was straight at Vito
Mannone.
Love's heart must have skipped a beat when he
was called off the substitutes' bench midway
through the first half for his first-team debut
in replace of the injured Matteo Darmian and
United's equaliser immediately followed. Mata's
low effort was saved by Mannone, but the rebound
fell to Martial who delicately dinked the ball over
the big Sunderland stopper from an acute angle to
send the sides in level at the break.
HALF-TIME STATS
POSSESSION: Sunderland 31% United 69%
SHOTS: Sunderland 8 United 5
SHOTS ON TARGET: Sunderland 1 United 3
CORNERS: Sunderland 0 United 5
Sunderland started the second half as they did the
first with a succession of set-plays, one of which
seemed to strike Rooney on the hand, before Defoe
was denied his seventh goal in as many games as
Daley Blind brilliantly blocked from close range.
On the hour mark the hosts went close to regaining
the lead as a quick counter attack sent Dame
N'Doye one-on-one with De Gea, but the United
number one saved well with his feet.
De Gea was busy again as he held onto Khazri's
25-yard direct free-kick, whilst at the other end,
substitute Memphis was looking to celebrate his
22nd birthday with an immediate impact after
coming on for Jesse Lingard and he nearly served
up a gift for Mata but the Spaniard's shot was well
blocked by substitute Jack Rodwell.
Kone forced De Gea into an acrobatic save, whilst
Mata, who was heavily involved throughout, fired
straight at Mannone.
The Reds continued to press for the winner as
Smalling latched onto Rooney's deep cross, but his
header was diverted wide. Kone however would not
waste his opportunity as his header into the ground
from Kazri's corner seemed to hit De Gea and find
its way into the net for what will sadly go down as
an own goal.
United continued to press, this time to salvage a
point and despite Memphis testing Mannone again
late on, the Reds lost at the Stadium of Light for
the first time in the Premier League.
FULL-TIME STATS
POSSESSION: Sunderland 34% United 66%
SHOTS: Sunderland 21 United 12
SHOTS ON TARGET: Sunderland 5 United 6
CORNERS: Sunderland 5 United 8
THE TEAMS
Sunderland: Mannone, Yedlin, O’Shea, Kone, van
Aanholt, Kirchhoff (Rodwell 15'), Cattermole
(Toivonen 85'), M’Vila, Khazri, N’Doye, Defoe
(Borini 71').
Subs not used: Brown, Matthews, Pickford,
Honeyman.
Booked: Yedlin, O'Shea
United: De Gea, Darmian (Love 38'), Smalling, Blind,
Borthwick-Jackson, Schneiderlin (Keane 86'),
Carrick, Lingard (Memphis 61'), Mata, Martial,
Rooney.
Subs not used: Romero, Weir, Pereira, Herrera.
Booked: Rooney, Mata, Carrick
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