‘Disappointing’ – Granit Xhaka and Dan Ballard send message to Sunderland fans after Manchester United defeat

Sunderland Trio Thank Fans After 2–0 Loss to Manchester United

Sunderland captain Granit Xhaka, defender Omar Alderete, and centre-back Dan Ballard have expressed gratitude to fans after their 2–0 Premier League defeat against Manchester United at Old Trafford.

Despite the loss — only their second of the season — the players took to social media to thank the travelling supporters, who once again filled the away section.

Xhaka, who captained the side and played on after an early head collision with Alderete, posted:
“A disappointing afternoon, but we’ll keep fighting. Thank you all for your amazing support!”

Ballard, who entered the game in the first half as part of a tactical change, wrote:
“We go again after the break,” tagging the club’s official account.

Alderete also addressed fans, writing:
“It wasn’t the match we were expecting! We competed, but it didn’t go our way. We’ll work to correct our mistakes. See you in the next one.”

Goals from Mason Mount and Benjamin Šeško secured the win for United in the first half, as Régis Le Bris’ Sunderland side struggled to break through.

🗣️ Amorim on United’s Win: “A Step in the Right Direction”

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim praised his team’s composure and defensive effort in what he called a “step in the right direction” after a difficult start to the season.

“We didn’t play well for the full 90, but we were focused,” Amorim said. “The clean sheet is very important. We managed the game well in the second half and killed their momentum.”

He also commended goalkeeper Senne Lammens for a solid performance, noting the team’s overall focus helped him succeed against a possession-heavy Sunderland side.

Amorim highlighted Amad Diallo’s return to the starting XI as “massive” and acknowledged that the upcoming international break could stall momentum.

“My biggest frustration,” he added, “is not seeing the same performance levels away from home. But today, even when we didn’t play well, we didn’t allow them to either — that’s what top teams do across a season.”