Manchester United came away from the Stadium of Light with one point after a scoreless draw against Sunderland.
It was a flat game played at a slow pace. There was a feeling that some of the players involved for Sunderland and Manchester United were already on their holidays.
Although United didn’t get three points, the point moves Michael Carrick’s side closer to clinching third spot in the Premier League with two games remaining.
Here are our winners and losers from the game.
Winners
Firstly, the winners.
Mason Mount: Casemiro’s absence meant Carrick had to make changes in midfield, and Manuel Ugarte was unavailable after sustaining a back injury in training.
The 44-year-old called upon Mason Mount to make his first start since January, alongside Kobbie Mainoo.
The 27-year-old played a more disciplined role and showed his willingness to put his foot in for some 50-50 balls.
Not only will Mount be happy to be back in the line-up, but his performance also wasn’t too shabby at a time when United are lacking options in midfield.
Senne Lammens: It was another comfortable display from Senne Lammens between the sticks, without a mistake to complain about.
In the sixth minute, the young Belgian stopper denied Noah Sadiki from a 1-v-1 situation. He also showed his bravery when Brian Brobbey came through on goal before rushing to the Dutch striker’s feet.
There was another massive moment after the hour mark when Brobbey forced Lammens into a brilliant save.
Lammens has now kept two clean sheets in as many games against Sunderland since signing for United.
Losers
And the losers.
Joshua Zirkzee: Like Mount, it was a rare start for Joshua Zirkzee, except he didn’t make anything of his opportunity in the team.
There were examples of decent hold-up play, which is the least we can expect from the former Bayern Munich and Bologna forward, but he offers nowhere near enough presence on the pitch.
Lisandro Martinez: At the heart of defence, Lisandro Martinez returned from suspension to start alongside Harry Maguire.
It allowed Brobbey to create a mismatch with Martinez, and he bullied the United defender.
Martinez won’t have to face a powerful opponent like that for another while, but it’s definitely something to consider next season if Brobbey is still leading the line for Sunderland.
Matheus Cunha: The Brazil international didn’t play poorly, but his shameless dive in stoppage time warranted a yellow card.
It was clear as day that Matheus Cunha was trying to fool the referee by throwing himself to the ground.
While a penalty would have probably helped United add three points to their season tally, there are ways of going about that, and Cunha should have been focused on shooting or getting closer to the goal.
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