Zlatan Ibrahimovic's 28th goal of the season in all competitions put United ahead and Sunderland's cause became all but impossible after Seb Larsson was sent off close to halftime.
An ecstatic home crowd at a noisy and rainy John Smith's Stadium celebrated what was the Yorkshire club's first win over United since 1952 and one which few would doubt they deserved after a passionate display.
IMAGES from soccer matches played across Europe on Saturday.
Alexis Sanchez is facing a crucial period to justify his big-money wages at Old Trafford.
Second-placed Borussia Dortmund twice squandered the lead as they drew 2-2 at Schalke 04 in the Ruhr derby on Sunday, allowing leaders Bayern Munich to move closer to another Bundesliga title. A gem from Shinja Kagawa and an odd goal from Matthias Ginter put Dortmund ahead but the hosts hit back each time through Leroy Sane and a Klaas-Jan Huntelaar penalty. Bayern, who won 3-1 at VfB Stuttgart on Saturday, are seven points clear of Dortmund with only five matches left to play. Schalke are seventh with 45 points, behind Borussia Moenchengladbach, Bayer Leverkusen and Mainz on goal difference. Dortmund coach Thomas Tuchel made eight changes to the line-up that drew 1-1 with Liverpool in the Europa League on Thursday as he rotated his side. There was little excitement in the first half where the best chances fell to Schalke as Sane struck the post from 20 metres and Junior Caicara fired a shot across the face of the goal, leaving Huntelaar waiting and furious in the middle. But the game dramatically came to life after the break.
Manchester United's dwindling hopes of lifting a trophy this season are dangling by a thread after they produced an abject display to lose 2-0 at Olympiakos Piraeus in a Champions League last-16 first leg on Tuesday.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic says he is excited by the prospect of playing alongside Wayne Rooney at Manchester United and described his new team mate as the "perfect partner for a striker".
Defensive errors were again a common occurrence in the Arsenal backline, but Fiorentina failed to take advantage.
Cristiano Ronaldo scrambled a second-half goal to give Portugal an uninspiring 1-0 win over Armenia in their Euro 2016 qualifier on Friday in Faro.
Arsenal fielded a strong team with Ozil installed as captain and the Premier League side soon took control against weakened opposition, given the time and space they will not be afforded when the domestic campaign kicks off in August.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Juan Mata praised Jose Mourinho's remarkable knack for coming out on top on the biggest occasions after Manchester United beat Ajax Amsterdam 2-0 on Wednesday to signal the Portuguese coach's 12th triumph in a final from 14 attempts.
The 2021 men's and women's U-17 European Championships have been cancelled due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, UEFA said on Friday.
Premier League leaders Manchester City turned on the style with a 3-1 win over Manchester United in their derby clash, on Sunday, leaving Pep Guardiola's unbeaten side two points clear of Liverpool.
German midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger is unlikely to play for Manchester United this season, manager Jose Mourinho said on Friday.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic is playing a pivotal role in creating a friendly atmosphere in the Manchester United dressing room, manager Jose Mourinho has said, adding that the striker should not restrict his role in the squad to goalscorer.
Chelsea beat Arsenal 3-2 in a pulsating London English Premier League derby on Saturday with defender Marcos Alonso scoring an 81st-minute winner after the Gunners had fought back from an early 2-0 deficit.
Serie A witnessed some breath-taking football action, especially when AC Milan could not convert the umpteen chances they had against Sassuolo while Inter went to top. In Ligue 1 action, all the star players found the net for PSG. Here are images from the soccer matches played across Europe on Sunday.
Manchester City's Kompany out of Liverpool clash with calf injury
Manchester United continued their perfect start to the Premier League season by crushing Swansea City 4-0 with three late goals in four minutes.
Manchester United's teenage striker Marcus Rashford struck a stunning second-half free-kick to secure a 1-0 win at Celta Vigo in their Europa League semi-final, first leg on Thursday.
Real Madrid beat Manchester United 2-1 on Tuesday to lift the European Super Cup for the fourth time as they became the first team to retain the trophy since AC Milan in 1990.
British media reports say Sanchez will seal his move to United this week
Virgil van Dijk made a dream start to his Anfield career, scoring the winning goal on his debut for Liverpool, as they beat city rivals Everton 2-1 in a pulsating FA Cup third round tie on Friday.
Manchester United's Zlatan Ibrahimovic came off the bench to score the winner as they recovered from an early deficit to beat Championship strugglers Blackburn Rovers 2-1 away in the FA Cup fifth round on Sunday.
Arsenal manager Unai Emery was pleased with his team's first away clean sheet of the season.
Manchester United held on for a goalless draw in a feisty derby with Manchester City after midfielder Marouane Fellaini was sent off for a headbutt in the Premier League clash at the Etihad Stadium on Thursday.
Manchester City tore Arsenal apart for the second time in five days on Thursday, beating them 3-0 on a freezing night at The Emirates to restore their 16-point lead as they close in on the Premier League title.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Antonio Valencia's early thunderbolt put Manchester United en route to a 4-0 Premier League victory over Everton on Sunday, but they needed a flurry of late goals to finally subdue their unfortunate visitors.
Europa League favourites Manchester United secured a 1-1 draw on a threadbare pitch at Rostov, while Olympique Lyonnais beat AS Roma 4-2 helped by a fine individual goal from Nabil Fekir in their last 16, first leg ties on Thursday.
Fourth division club Carl Zeiss Jena stunned Hamburg SV 3-2 in the German Cup on Sunday, taking the scalp of the Bundesliga's former European champions to cause the biggest sensation of the competition's first round.
Bayern Munich slumped out of the German Cup semi-finals 2-0 on penalties to Borussia Dortmund.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
"We are pleased with the win, the many chances and the 70,000-plus spectators."
A summary of Saturday night's matches in the Euro 2020 qualifiers.
A Sergio Aguero hat-trick helped Manchester City get back to winning ways in the Premier League with a 3-1 victory over Newcastle United, as they stayed 12 points ahead of Manchester United who had to dig deep to secure a 1-0 win at Burnley.
Premier League clubs Watford and Hull City, and Championship side Leeds United paid the penalty for fielding weakened teams when they were all knocked out of the FA Cup in the fourth round on Sunday -- but holders Manchester United won comfortably.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic noted this week in his own inimitably self-regarding fashion that he had taken just three months to conquer England.
Manchester United stretched their unbeaten run to 11 games in all competitions after Daley Blind, in-form striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic and substitute Henrik Mkhitaryan gave them a 3-1 home win over Sunderland on Monday. Left back Blind fired United ahead with a crisp 39th-minute shot after Ibrahimovic teed him up perfectly. The towering Swede doubled the lead with a clinical 82nd-minute finish for his 17th goal of the season. Fit-again Mkhitaryan put the icing on the cake with a spectacular backheel effort after a sharp Ibrahimovic cross from the right, although television replays suggested the Armenian was marginally offside. Striker Fabio Borini gave Sunderland fans something to cheer with a dipping late volley.