Sunderland were denied a rare victory over Manchester United as goalkeeper Senne Lammens and the frame of the goal combined to keep a vibrant home side at bay in a goalless draw at the Stadium of Light. On a chilly, damp afternoon on Wearside, Regis le Bris's team were generally the better side but could not find the breakthrough their pressure deserved.
It was a forgettable encounter for Michael Carrick, whose United side showed five changes from the team that downed arch-rivals Liverpool and were without the in-form Casemiro and Benjamin Sesko. The visitors threatened not to register a shot on target in a Premier League game for the first time since January 2015 until Matheus Cunha's injury-time effort was saved by Robin Roefs. A point keeps United unbeaten in their last four league outings, while Sunderland claimed back-to-back draws.
Black Cats Set the Tone Early
Sunderland enjoyed a bright first half and the bulk of possession. Chemsdine Talbi looked lively on the wing and sent a curling effort just past the upright, before a neat exchange of one-touch passes in midfield involving Enzo Le Fee ended with a through ball to Noah Sadiki, who forced Lammens into a low save. The game was still in its infancy when the United goal gaped in front of Sadiki, but he never truly looked as though he would come out on top in his one-on-one duel with Lammens, who read where the Congo international was going to go.