---
title: "Team News – Sunderland vs Man United"
canonical: "https://readmanutd.com/2016/02/12/team-news-sunderland-vs-man-united/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
section: "Man Utd Match Previews"
published: "2016-02-12T14:14:00Z"
modified: "2016-02-12T14:14:00Z"
---

# Team News – Sunderland vs Man United

Will Keane will be in the first-team squad when Manchester United travel to play Sunderland at lunchtime on Saturday.

The 23-year-old has been rewarded for his fine form at Under-21 level since returning from a loan spell at Championship side Preston. Keane scored five against Norwich City on Monday, before assisting Joe Rothwell’s winner in the mini-Manchester Derby against City last night.

![Alex Livesey/Getty Images Sport](https://media.readmanutd.com/readmanutd/2016/02/503378108.jpg)

Speaking to [MUTV](https://www.manutd.com/en/News-And-Features/Football-News/2016/Feb/will-keane-in-manchester-united-squad-for-sunderland-clash.aspx) in his weekly interview, Louis van Gaal said that he hoped Keane could transfer his form to senior level:

> *Yes, that’s the reason we called him back \[from a loan spell at Preston North End\].*
>
> *He’s always training with us, with the first selection, and he’s scoring a lot of goals now. He is also in the squad tomorrow and I hope that he shall continue with scoring goals because that is very important for a striker.*

However, van Gaal will likely be without three players for tomorrow’s trip to the Stadium of Light. Phil Jones, Guillermo Varela and Adnan Januzaj all picked up knocks in the Under-21 game against Norwich, and the United manager [indicated](https://www.manutd.com/en/News-And-Features/Football-News/2016/Feb/team-news-louis-van-gaal-reveals-options-for-united-trip-to-sunderland.aspx) that he would be giving them time to recover:

> *It’s not looking good because I also let my players play in the second team and various players were injured again. They’re not very nasty injuries but I still have to give them time to recover.*
>
> *It is a big pity because Jones is a very good central defender and we* *are missing him and also Marcos Rojo for a long time already.*

![Alex Broadway/Getty Images Sport](https://media.readmanutd.com/readmanutd/2016/02/489299936.jpg)

Bastian Schweinsteiger remains on the sidelines with a knee injury, but van Gaal has given an encouraging update on both Antonio Valencia and Marcos Rojo:

> *I cannot say Bastian is returning within two weeks because I have given him, more or less, a little holiday as he also has to change his mindset. It’s good for players. I have done that also with Antonio Valencia, Marcos Rojo and Luke Shaw, for example, when you are injured for longer than normal.*
>
> *The light at the end of the tunnel is more for Rojo and for Valencia. They are coming back and I hope it’s as soon as possible.*