Good afternoon one and all and welcome to our live coverage of the day’s first Premier League fixture as Sunderland host Manchester United at the Stadium of Light.

It’s a big game for both sides, which ones aren’t at this stage of the season, for very different reasons. The Black Cats are in desperate need of a spark in their bid to avoid relegation while United can make ground up on the top four.

Kick-off is at 12.45pm and we’ll have team news imminently.

Sunderland: Mannone, Yedlin, O’Shea, Kone, van Aanholt, Kirchhoff, Cattermole, M’Vila, Khazri, N’Doye, Defoe.

Man United: De Gea, Darmian, Smalling, Blind, Borthwick-Jackson, Schneiderlin, Carrick, Lingard, Mata, Martial, Rooney.

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If you’re near a telebox, today’s game is live on BT Sport with Michael Owen and Michael Gray giving their expert opinion ahead of kick-off.

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Sunderland boss Sam Allardyce has made two changes to his side from the one which drew 2-2 with Liverpool last time out.

Billy Jones and Duncan Watmore both miss out through injury, with DeAndre Yedlin and Dame N’Doye coming in.

For the visitors, Morgan Schneiderlin replaces Marouane Fellaini in the only change from last week’s draw at Stamford Bridge.

As always, we’d love to hear your thoughts on the game. E-mail ryan@the42.ie, tweet @the42_ie, post a message to our Facebook wall, or leave a comment below.

United’s bench contains three unknown quantities and looks extremely light.

Man United subs: Romero, Love, Weir, Pereira, Herrera, Memphis, Keane.

Kick-off fast approaching. Final check of the teams:

The scene is set, although it’s absolutely freezing at the Stadium of Light this Saturday lunch time.

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John O’Shea captains Sunderland from defence again today as he comes up against his former side. Wes Brown, another former Red Devil, is on the home bench.

The hailstorms have relented as the teams emerge from the tunnel. It’s a full house for this one at the Stadium of Light and kick-off is imminent.

Which way do you see it going?

Kick-off! We’re underway at the Stadium of Light. United, playing in their changed black kit, are defending the end their supporters are housed in.

GOAL! Sunderland 1-0 Man United (Wahbi Khazri)

At the other end, Rooney looks for an instant reply but the chance is snuffed out.

Incredible start from the hosts! Van Aanholt wins a free-kick on the right hand side. Wahbi Khazri stands over it and it appears his set-piece is poor but it goes through a few sets of legs and somehow goes all the way in past De Gea.

The visitors have responded well. Mata finds a pocket of space between the lines and plays a delicate ball through for Rooney. Lamine Kone just about gets a toe on it and diverts back to his goalkeeper.

Meanwhile, Jesse Lingard requires treatment after going in for a challenge but he’s appears okay to continue.

Really poor defending from United. That should have been dealt with a lot better before it even got to De Gea and you could apportion some of the blame to the goalkeeper – but it shouldn’t have got that far.

It’s been a brilliant start for the Black Cats and they’ve been full of energy and purpose so far. The crowd have really gotten behind the team, not always the case here, of course, and the players have responded.

Chance! United all over the place at the back. The visitors can’t clear the danger and it eventually falls for Defoe in the six-yard area. The striker gets away from Smalling but with just De Gea to beat, he fails to connect properly and the chance is gone.

But they’re forced into an early change as Jan Kirchhoff is forced off through injury with Jack Rodwell his replacement. A slight reshuffle forced upon the hosts.

Darmian is playing as an auxiliary winger with the Italian bombing forward at every available opportunity. On this occasion, he gets in behind the Sunderland defence but can’t get his cross away.

Man United are enjoying plenty of possession but aren’t doing very much with it. Sunderland, with their early goal, are happy to sit in their rigid defensive set-up and make it difficult for the visitors to break them down.

Huge penalty appeals from the home fans and players but referee Andre Marriner isn’t interested. Wahbi Khazri strikes it towards goal and it hits Morgan Schneiderlin on the arm.

The French midfielder could do nothing about it and Howard Webb, on BT Sport, agrees. The crowd weren’t too pleased with the decision, however.

Khazri has been very lively in the opening half an hour as he runs at the United defence. The £9 million signing from Bordeaux cuts inside two defenders but his shot was never going to trouble De Gea.

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At the other end, O’Shea has to head behind for a United corner. Mata’s delivery was much better and it caused Sunderland problems.

Up until now, the hosts have been comfortable defensively.

Much better from United. Rooney fires a pass into Mata, who has pulled away from his marker. Instead of taking a touch, the Spaniard hits it first time and catches it sweetly but Mannone is in the right position.

Louis van Gaal’s side are dominating possession and are just beginning to ask a few questions. A little over 10 minutes until the break.

Darmian has been full of energy this first-half and has been United’s attacking outlet down this right but he’s in trouble here.

A hefty collision with Khazri leaves the Italian clutching his shoulder and he’s in real pain. Scottish U21 international Donald Love is on to make his debut.

United are level! Martial begins and finishes the move with a deft flick over Mannone from a tight angle.

The Frenchman initially made a burst down the left, cut it back for Mata. His curling effort was parried by Mannone and Martial was there to chip home.

United really in the ascendancy and Sunderland will be praying for that half-time whistle.

GOAL! Sunderland 1-1 Man United (Martial) 

Four minutes of added time at the Stadium of Light.

Half-time! The referee brings the first-half to an end. An entertaining 45 minutes of football.

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John O’Shea picked up a yellow just before the break and Rooney goes into the referee’s book straight after for a blatant trip on Lee Cattermole.

Sunderland are dropping deep and are allowing Man United plenty of space. The hosts do, however, pose a threat on the break and Defoe looks sharp after passing a late fitness test.

Second-half about to begin on Tyneside. Big 45 minutes for both sides.

United get us back underway. No changes for either team, but both were forced into a substitution in that first period.

Sunderland have looked dangerous from set-pieces. Khazri’s delivery is wicked and O’Shea flicks it goalwards at the front-post. His header hits Rooney and goes behind but it appeared it struck the United captain’s hand. Probably would have been harsh but his hand was up.

Close! Defoe gets across Daley Blind and deflects Van Aanholt’s low cross goalwards but the defender does brilliantly to recover and block it wide with De Gea scrambling.

That’s lifted the home fans and given United a wake-up call.

It’s been a strong start from Sunderland and they’ve showed great character to recover from that setback just before the break. Both teams can feel they can win this game and it’s really showing.

Mata and Carrick are booked by Andre Marriner in quick succession. Memphis Depay, meanwhile, is preparing to come on.

Great run from Love down the right flank and he finds Lingard in space at the edge of the area. But his team-mate gets the ball stuck under his feet and the move breaks down.

Smart stop from De Gea as he’s forced to turn Yann M’Vila’s low drive behind for a corner. United defend the set-piece and that allows Memphis to come on for Lingard.

Man United’s defensive injury crisis continued as Darmian was forced off with a shoulder injury.

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Wahbi Khazri draws the foul from Love and Sunderland have a free-kick in a very dangerous position. The Tunisian strikes it sweetly but De Gea gets across comfortably.

Jermain Defoe’s afternoon is over as Fabio Borini is introduced. Still level pegging with 20 remaining.

Lamine Kone is up for the corner and it falls to the defender on the edge of the area. The angle is tight but it’s a powerful strike and De Gea has to tip it over.

It’s delicately poised at the Stadium of Light with a little over 20 minutes remaining and United are pressing.

Memphis charges into the box down the left and finds Mata with the cutback. The Spaniard is closed down quickly and his shot is blocked.

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Mata has been excellent today and he is finding acres of space. On this occasion, he’s invited to shoot only for Mannone to handle it comfortably.

GOAL! Sunderland 2-1 Man United (Kone)

But the goal comes at the other end! Sunderland have been threatening from set-pieces all day and De Gea can’t keep it out this time. Kone comes powering in, completely unmarked, to head home.

United pressing for a late winner. Memphis the latest to try his luck but his effort lacks power.

United have 6 mins to salvage something. Will Keane is being readied by Van Gaal.

Save! Memphis asks the question of Mannone with a curling effort but the Sunderland goalkeeper is up to the task. Time running out for the visitors.

Keane comes on for Schneiderlin while Ola Toivonen is introduced by Sunderland.

Time running out for United, time running out for van Gaal? Four minutes of injury time.

Penalty appeals from United as Memphis’ volley strikes John O’Shea, and Rooney feels it struck the Irishman’s hand.

Van Aanholt looks to seal the win but he fires into the side netting.

United suffer defeat at the Stadium of Light for the first time in the Premier League.

Full-time! And that’s it!

Thanks for joining us for this afternoon’s liveblog. Report and reaction to come shortly.