Given Manchester United's home form in 2016-17 it will probably come as some relief to travel to Sunderland on Sunday for a clash with David Moyes' basement-dwellers.
Their two home fixtures since the season's final international break ended in draws against West Bromwich Albion and Everton, dropping Jose Mourinho's men back to sixth place in the Premier League table and throwing their remaining hopes for a top-four finish into a state of flux.
Mourinho has picked up his young forwards and left-back Luke Shaw for criticism on the back of those results, but Jesse Lingard will head to the Stadium of Light boosted by the new four-year contract he signed on Thursday.
Plainly put, United need nothing less than a win. Yet their inability to convince of late means more trouble should not be ruled out before they continue their Europa League push in Thursday's quarter-final against Anderlecht.
MAN UTD INJURIES
Paul Pogba should be available to start for the first time in over three weeks after coming through Tuesday's substitute appearance against Everton with no ill-effects.
Wayne Rooney is back on the treatment table after suffering pain in both ankles following his 20-minute run-out against West Brom, while there will also be no Chris Smalling, Phil Jones or Juan Mata.
Jones suffered a foot injury after a collision with Smalling in England training, while the latter followed him to the injury list by picking up a knee problem on international duty. And Mata's recent groin surgery means he is one of three players of whom we might have seen the last in 2016-17.
Ashley Young limped out of Tuesday's draw with Everton midway through the second half and will be assessed ahead of this one, but the former England international is unlikely to be risked if showing any sign of trouble given that the trip to Brussels is only four days away.
MAN UTD SUSPENSIONS
Sunday marks the final day of the second suspension block of the season, meaning that it will take a total of 15 yellow cards for a player to be banned between Monday and the end of the campaign.
United look in good shape considering the fresh amnesty, with Paul Pogba leading the disciplinary count with eight bookings. Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Wayne Rooney, Ander Herrera and Marouane Fellaini have seven each.
Sunderland, like United, are free from suspension worries going into Sunday's clash. They are, though, without Adnan Januzaj since no loanees are permitted to play against their parent clubs under Premier League rules.
MAN UTD POTENTIAL STARTING LINE-UP
Jose Mourinho finally has a few extra options after the returns of Pogba, Ibrahimovic and Herrera in midweek but there is still only so much he can do with at least four players out of the trip to the Stadium of Light due to injury.
Michael Carrick may be rested after starting twice in three days earlier in the week, while Henrikh Mkhitaryan ought to be back in the first XI. Anthony Martial could return in light of Marcus Rashford's current struggles in front of goal, while the left-back slot is a toss-up between Daley Blind, Matteo Darmian and Luke Shaw if Ashley Young is ruled out.
SUNDERLAND TEAM NEWS
An already-forgettable Sunderland campaign reached new depths recently with the furore surrounding David Moyes' ill-advised comments to a female journalist, and his team's form on the pitch looks unlikely to help him out of a hole any time soon.
Sitting eight points adrift of the safety line with eight games remaining, the Black Cats finally look doomed after year-upon-year of late Houdini acts. Moyes has brought far more of his United and Espanyol touch to the role than the promise he showed in his decade at Everton prior to the disastrous 2013-14 campaign at Old Trafford.
Jermain Defoe has been just about Sunderland's only positive light this term, with his 14 goals keeping the Wearsiders in with a slight hope of safety and helping to propel him back into the England squad.
Elsewhere they have carried little threat, and with Januzaj out due to the terms of his loan Moyes loses one of his biggest weapons for United's visit.
BEST OPTA MATCH FACTS
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Sunderland have lost 22 times against Manchester United in the Premier League – against no side have they suffered more Premier League defeats (also 22 against Chelsea).
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Manchester United haven’t won any of their last three games at the Stadium of Light in all competitions (D1 L2), this after an unbeaten run of 11 matches there.
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David Moyes will be the fifth different Sunderland manager to host Manchester United across the last five seasons (Martin O’Neill, Kevin Ball as caretaker, Gus Poyet and Sam Allardyce).
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Jermain Defoe has failed to score in his last six Premier League games against Manchester United, since netting against them for Spurs in March 2012.
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The Red Devils have scored exactly three goals in each of their last two PL away games; they last scored three or more goals in three consecutive matches in November 2012.
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Manchester United are currently on a 20-game unbeaten run in the Premier League (W10 D10 L0). Of the 16 occasions a team has gone on a 20+ unbeaten run in the competition, this is the run with the lowest points per game average (2.0) and win ratio (50%).
TV COVERAGE & KICK-OFF TIME
Sunday's match at the Stadium of Light begins at 13:30 BST, with live television coverage available on Sky Sports 1.
