Manchester United vs. Sunderland: Team News, Preview, Live Stream, TV Info

Manchester United will try to continue their impressive Premier League run on Monday, as the Red Devils go for their fourth win in a row against struggling Sunderland.

Manager Jose Mourinho and his troops haven't lost in the Premier League since the 4-0 defeat at the hands of Chelsea in October, and while United still trail the other title candidates by a significant margin, the team's outlook is a lot more positive than it was earlier in the season.

Sunderland have lost two of their last three games and will likely battle relegation for the rest of the season, so United will be clear favourites for Monday's clash.

Date: Monday, December 26

Time: 3 p.m. GMT/10 a.m. ET

Venue: Old Trafford, Manchester

TV Info: NBC Sports (U.S.)

Live Stream: NBC Sports Live

Team News

Per Goal, United could be boosted by the return of several players, with Eric Bailly and Chris Smalling in contention for Monday's match. Neither is a certainty, and with the busy schedule ahead, there's a good chance both will be given ample time to return to health.

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Henrikh Mkhitaryan could also return after suffering an injury against Tottenham Hotspur on Dec. 11, and Luke Shaw should make his return to the squad soon as well.

For Sunderland, Adnan Januzaj is ineligible to play against his parent club. Per Stu Vose of the team's official website, manager David Moyes revealed Javier Manquillo, Steven Pienaar and Billy Jones have returned to training, although it's unclear whether they'll be fit for Monday.

Possible United XI: David De Gea, Matteo Darmian, Marcos Rojo, Phil Jones, Antonio Valencia, Michael Carrick, Paul Pogba, Ander Herrera, Wayne Rooney, Juan Mata and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Possible Sunderland XI: Jordan Pickford, Donald Love, Lamine Kone, Papy Djilobodji, Patrick van Aanholt, Steven Pienaar, Didier Ndong, Jason Denayer, Fabio Borini, Jermain Defoe and Victor Anichebe.

Preview

Lots of fans will keep an eye on the Sunderland bench on Monday, as former United manager Moyes returns to Old Trafford. Sir Alex Ferguson's replacement spent just under a year in charge of the Red Devils before a stint with Real Sociedad and his current spell with the Black Cats.

Per Vose, he's looking forward to the return:

"

I’m looking forward to it, going back there. It’s a great place to be a manager and a great privilege to have managed that football club.

We’re in a better position; we’ve got ourselves back in it and won some games. We’re back in there fighting and we’ve got to keep doing that.

It’s a difficult Christmas period; that’s why the result against Watford was so important to start it off.

We go there knowing Manchester United are finding some form – we have to try to stop them.

"

Moyes had limited success at Old Trafford and in Spain, and his spell with Sunderland isn't going any better so far. After 17 matches, the Black Cats sit in 18th place, and their football hasn't been inspiring.

Sunderland's 16 goals scored is tied for the second-lowest mark in the Premier League―only Hull City have worse―and while their defensive numbers are slightly better, they don't pose much of a threat on paper.

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In Defoe and Ibrahimovic, two of the Premier League's best scorers will go head-to-head, but while the latter is surrounded by a superb supporting cast, the Sunderland forward doesn't get much help from his midfielders.

If the Red Devils can win the midfield battle and limit Defoe's touches, Mourinho's men should grab their fourth Premier League win on the trot.

Final prediction: United 2-0 Sunderland