On the beach? Checked out for the season? Disheartened after the European dream had faded somewhat in recent weeks and perhaps a touch edgy following a disastrous performance last time out at home against Nottingham Forest?
Absolutely not.
If Sunderland’s players had been showing signs of feeling the pace at the end of a long and gruelling season during the recent clashes with Forest and Wolves, this aggressive, lively and altogether more complete display was the ideal riposte; a superb response after some tough recent games and proof (as if it were actually needed) that Régis Le Bris and his players are determined to end the campaign on a high.
For all of the grumbling about our recent form — something of which I’ve certainly been guilty — the bottom line is that Sunderland currently sit on forty eight points.
This is our third-highest total ever accrued in the Premier League and one greater than the forty seven collected by Steve Bruce’s talented 2010/2011 side. By any definition, that constitutes success, despite the ups and downs we’ve experienced along the way.
OK, you might point to a handful of missed chances as proof of our ongoing issues in front of goal, and it’s a valid argument, but on the other hand, the kind of defensive resilience we saw on display against the Red Devils (a throwback to earlier in the season when we were fiendishly difficult to get the better of at home) and a midfield display that was as good as we’ve seen in a while more than made up for it.
What we witnessed on Saturday was the kind of wholehearted performance that we’ve always known this side is capable of producing but perhaps hasn’t turned in as often in recent times.
Aston Villa was exciting but frantic; Forest was an absolute hot mess of a game, and the clash with Wolves was ultimately defined by that stupid hair-pulling incident.
The home win over Spurs was probably the last time we struck the perfect balance, but this was another encouraging showcase of this team’s best qualities and the ideal antidote to the notion that the season was petering out and heading for a slightly unsatisfactory conclusion.
Yes, we should’ve made more of the chances we did carve out, but with Senne Lammens in superb form and one or two instances where the final touch wasn’t quite there or the woodwork got in the way, we eventually had to settle for a point, but a very valuable and hard-earned one, without a doubt.
For much of the game and despite referee Stuart Attwell’s apparent efforts to wind up both sets of fans to the best of his ability with a series of baffling calls and peculiar stoppages, we were more than good value for at least a draw and although United’s reversal of fortune under Michael Carrick is certainly praiseworthy, they didn’t pose anywhere near as great a threat as many might’ve expected, particularly in the absence of leading striker Benjamin Šeško.
Sunderland got an awful lot right on Saturday.
Despite plenty of focus being directed towards Trai Hume’s efforts in a midfield role to which he’s not really suited yet always gives his all whilst undertaking — which is to his immense credit — the returns of Chemsdine Talbi and Lutsharel Geertruida were very welcome.
Talbi was all hustle and bustle, buzzing around like a hard-to-swat housefly and injecting some real vigour into our attack, whereas Geertruida played like a man on a mission, rampaging forward as though he had strict deadlines to meet and giving Manchester United’s attackers absolutely no joy going the other way. A superb display from the on-loan Dutchman.
Elsewhere, Enzo Le Fée does what he does best: controlling affairs with style, vision and class, and Granit Xhaka looked completely rejuvenated and invigorated by the midfield battle he was at the heart of for the entire game. As the clock ticked down and Le Bris turned to his bench, Nilson Angulo’s cameo after a lengthy layoff was welcome, with the winger showing some good turns of pace and a handful of neat touches.
Depending on which side of the fence you sit, this was either further proof of our progress or a slightly frustrating day at the office, but to the list of sides we’ve prevented from leaving Wearside with all three points, you can add the name of the team currently in third position in the league.
That’s no mean feat, and just as Arsenal and Manchester City found out exactly what Sunderland are made of when they travelled north, their illustrious rivals will have headed back down to Lancashire knowing they had to work hard to get out of town with a point.
A very, very creditable result for the Lads.
Saturday 9 May 2026
Premier League
Stadium of Light
Attendance: 47,233
Sunderland: 0
Manchester United: 0
Sunderland: Roefs, Geertruida, Alderete; Mukiele, Reinildo, Hume (Mayenda 90’); Xhaka, Sadiki, Le Fée; Talbi (Angulo 79’), Brobbey
Subs Not Used: Ellborg, Cirkin, O’Nien, Diarra, Rigg, Ta Bi, Isidor
Manchester United: Lammens, Mazraoui, Maguire; Martínez, Shaw, Mount; Mainoo, Amad (Mbeumo 75’), Fernandes; Cunha, Zirkzee (Dorgu 65’)
Subs Not Used: Bayinder, Dalot, T.Fletcher, J.Fletcher, Heaven, Malacia, Yoro
