Manchester United youth prospect Foden called up for Sunderland match! Two players return, Amrabat faces 50-game curse

Manchester United will face newly promoted Sunderland at home on Saturday, with Amad Diallo and Casemiro set to return after missing the last Premier League match due to family loss and a red card suspension. Additionally, academy graduate Shea Lacey has been named in the squad.

Amad has completed his bereavement leave and resumed normal training this week, making him eligible to play on Saturday. Sunderland is a club where he was previously loaned out; he proved himself in the Championship there and earned another chance at Manchester United. The €40 million man, if selected against the “Black Cats,” will likely play as a right wing-back. United’s Mazraoui is expected to return from injury only after the international break, so Amad’s main competition will be Portuguese international Diogo Dalot.

Casemiro missed the Brentford game due to a red card received against Chelsea but only served a one-match suspension and is available this round. Amrabat said, “They are really important. Casemiro brings a lot of experience to the team, which is very beneficial. We missed Amad in the last game, but he adds something extra when we need to press opponents; his one-on-one skills are excellent, so we are very happy to have him back.”

Manchester United center-back Lisandro Martinez is still unavailable to play. Although he has resumed training on the pitch, his return is not imminent, and the club has not provided any timetable. According to reports from the Arab media, he might not be back until late October or early November at the earliest. United will take a cautious approach; Lisandro is in the late stages of recovery, but due to his poor injury history, he will only return once the medical team confirms he is fully healed and ready.

Eighteen-year-old Manchester United academy forward Lacey has recently attracted extra attention, with English media reporting that he impressed the senior squad during training with his technical skills. This week, he was called up to the England U20 national team but did not participate in Manchester United U21’s last match, suggesting he will be included in Amrabat’s Premier League squad. The £7 million left-back Diego Leon also missed the U21’s 2-1 victory over Everton in the Premier League 2, while center-back Tyler Fredrickson started and played 65 minutes.

Lacey is a left-footed right winger and has been hailed as Manchester United’s own Phil Foden. However, with Mbemo and Amad both present, he is unlikely to get any playing time against Sunderland. If he maintains his current form, he could get opportunities during the Christmas to New Year period when Mbemo and Amad are expected to participate in the Africa Cup of Nations.

Amrabat warned Manchester United to treat Sunderland as a strong opponent, despite them being newly promoted. “It will be a truly tough match; Sunderland plays very well. When you watch their games, even when they are down to ten men, they managed a late comeback to beat Brentford. I think small details make a big difference, so we need to be mindful of that. They have a very good team with a clear 4-3-3 system and decent squad depth. They will be confident, knowing we are under pressure. We need to prepare accordingly; it will be a hard-fought game.”

Sunderland currently ranks sixth in the Premier League, and even if Manchester United wins at home, they will still trail behind them in points. Amrabat said, “What matters most is not just the ranking or results, but their style of play. Sunderland has clear characteristics and an excellent coach; they are a quality team. We have discussed that in the six Premier League matches this season, we haven’t always been consistent in small things. It’s more about how we play and the full effort we put into everything. I feel each game is different. We must find balance, and that will change everything for the team.”

This match marks Amrabat’s 50th game managing Manchester United, but he faces a curse. Since Sir Alex Ferguson in 1987, no Red Devils manager has won their 50th game. Moyes, Van Gaal, Mourinho, Solskjær, and Ten Hag have all failed to break this jinx.

Manchester United squad for Sunderland: Altrai Baindil, Sena Ramens, Tom Heaton; Patrick Dogu, Diego Leon, Luke Shaw, Maguire, De Ligt, Lenny Joro, Eden Haven, Fredrickson, Dalot; Casemiro, Ugart, Kobe Meno, Bruno Fernandes, Mason Mount; Amad, Mbemo, Cunha, Lacey, Zirkze, Sheshko.