Sunderland prepare to host defending champs Manchester United at the Stadium of Light on Sunday afternoon.
The importance of this game will be heavily influenced by events at Anfield earlier on in the day. Manchester United fans will be in the unfamiliar position of supporting Liverpool against Chelsea on Sunday lunch time but three points at the Stadium of Light could well go a long way to securing their fourth successive Premier League title.

Sir Alex Ferguson’s side have come good, as ever, at “Squeaky bum time” following a run of five wins in their last seven league matches. Successive victories over Manchester City and Spurs have left them one point behind Chelsea and judging by how they have turned it round since losing at home to the Blues and drawing at Blackburn, another title party at Old Trafford after the final game against Stoke looks a real possibility.

Steve Bruce’s side should though put up a fight at home and there are a number of reasons why Manchester United ’s former captain could put a serious dent in the title push. Chief amongst these is 25-goal striker Darren Bent who has netted six in his last seven games, with all these goals coming in the first half of the matches.
Collectively the club are aiming for their first top-half finish in the Premier League since the 2000-01 season which would illustrate significant progress under Bruce. There has also been no shortage of chat from Sunderland’s players about how they will put up a major fight to potentially send the title to Stamford Bridge.
The home side will be without Alan Hutton whose ban for being head butted by Jozy Altidore was reduced to one game. This could mean a start for Phil Bardsley against his former club. Lee Cattermole and defenders George McCartney and John Mensah could feature but Andy Reid (hamstring) is out.

For United, reports have been growing that Wayne Rooney may play despite Ferguson hinting last week that his season was over. If Wazza fails to start, Dimitar Berbatov will lead the line following a promising display last week. There are also injury doubts surrounding Rio Ferdinand and Gary Neville both of whom will be important should they play due to their vast experience.
Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs have been key to the recent wins over City and Spurs and once again whilst Fergie’s former fledglings may not have the legs of yesteryear they know how to win games at the back end of the season.
Nani is now probably Manchester United ’s key man and he was inspirational last week. There have been no further reports on the bug that seemed to affect the Portuguese winger and Patrice Evra against Tottenham so barring any recalls for Rooney, Ferdinand and Neville, it could be the same side that starts at Sunderland.

I cant shout sunderland 1-3 man unitd.

I'm tempted to say to Sunderland "just lie down and take a whooping without any fuss. . . . ." but if we're gonna win this, better the honorable way!
c'mon lads, lets go make history!

Rooney & Rio expected to return - frankly, i'd have preffered evans back there with vida.

Never mind Chelskum! Its down to the wire folks!

Mad United will surely draw this match, no matter wht they do

How's this place empty. . ?

Sunderland are not messing around. .

nateevs:

How's this place empty. . ?

So so empty,yet they are mathematically  still in it.
Guess, it will have been so so full if scores at Anfield had ended 'Pool 4-O Chelsea

Nani scores
1-0 to Manure

Scrappy.

Evans shoula been carded for that

What does Evans have to do to get a yellow. . ?
Did anyone see his earlier tackle ?

nateevs:

What does Evans have to do to get a yellow. . ?
Did anyone see his earlier tackle ?

Remember he almost killed Drogba earlier in the season

Berbatov?
Rooney could not believe it.

He needs to pay Utd back some of the £30m fee from his wages.

nateevs:

Berbatov?
Rooney could not believe it.

He needs to pay Utd back some of the £30m fee from his wages.

Rooney is frustrated.
Berbarubbish is so useless,Macheda or Diouf would have buried these chances

man united should plz sell this idiot baberflop.total waste of money

It's official
I am better than Berbatov
30 million wasted!

Berba has lost all confidence.
Sunderland have taken their foot off the gas.
I have written this off. . .


It's all down to next week at the Bridge.
What better place to do it.

Cana has been awesome today

Jones coming in
Wahala dey

Jones in?
Steve really gave this a good shot.

I respect him.

Ferdinand is looking so fat!

HNIC:

Ferdinand is looking so fat!

And you thot Ferdinand was fat.
How 'bout this dude that's been away for ever. . ?

Antonio Valencia should be crucified for this yo-yo at the top of the table.
If he had scored his glorious chance, we wouldn't be in this mess of waiting for Chelsea's slump before we can win a title.

When did Man Utd turn to that?
Valencia cocked this season for United. . . . .No United fan should forgive him.

Down to the wire. . .ok

~Sauron~:

Antonio Valencia should be crucified for this yo-yo at the top of the table.
If he had scored his glorious chance, we wouldn't be in this mess of waiting for Chelsea's slump before we can win a title.

When did Man Utd turn to that?
Valencia cocked this season for United. . . . .No United fan should forgive him.

If you are looking for who to blame look no far, SAF is to blame for getting rid of a proven striker for a Snail/Yaradua glued together. But i don't blame anybody we win some and lose some. At the end of the last game let Berbatov hand in transfer request or Bayern come calling. Everybody is tired of his sluggish attitude. If we banked on him today Chavs celebration coulda started by now. If we eventually win the title good but if we didn't it won't worry me as it will force SAF to have a reality check on the number of strikers he has and the once to bid farewell for their service/disservice and wish them well wherever they find themselves. Again we gat norrin to prove to anybody 3 consecutive epl no be akara.

presido1:

If you are looking for who to blame look no far, SAF is to blame for getting rid of a proven striker for a Snail/Yaradua glued together.  But i don't blame anybody we win some and lose some. At the end of the last game let Berbatov hand in transfer request or Bayern come calling. Everybody is tired of his sluggish attitude. If we banked on him today Chavs celebration coulda started by now. If we eventually win the title good but if we didn't it won't worry me as it will force SAF to have a reality check on the number of strikers he has and the once to bid farewell for their service/disservice and wish them well wherever they find themselves. Again we gat norrin to prove to anybody 3 consecutive epl no be akara.

Valencia is to blame. . . . .I still cannot understand how any professional player with 2 legs can miss from close range.
He was through on goal, no player marking him, no pressure and Robinson was about 5 yards away from him with the open net in full view.
That had to be the biggest MISS in this millennium. . . . .That goal woulda added 2 points to our haul now and we wouldn't have bovvered about what Chelsea do every match-day!!!

I blame Kalou . .
If only he put his one on one chance against Robinson away, we would have had 2 points more and this last match won't matter.
We would have won the league by now.
We conceded in the dying minutes and gave up two points.

Unfortunately, it wont come down to a chance missed in one game when you consider both teams have lost 7 gaes this season. No way you can blame Valencia or Kalou.

Mr_TA:

Unfortunately, it wont come down to a chance missed in one game when you consider both teams have lost 7 gaes this season. No way you can blame Valencia or Kalou.

Exactly what I was trying to prove to him.
Blaming Valencia for the whole season.

Mr_TA:

Unfortunately, it wont come down to a chance missed in one game when you consider both teams have lost 7 gaes this season. No way you can blame Valencia or Kalou.

It would come down to a chance missed in one of the most important games of the season.
United had lost the initiative after losing to Chelsea at OT scandalously. . . . .Since then, every game was a MUST-WIN game.
Who misses from 5 yards with the goalie to beat without any pressure whatsoever? He has to shoulder the blame, i am afraid.

The chance he missed that afternoon is haunting us now. . . . .