Sunderland, England (SportsNetwork.com) - Manchester United will attempt to jump-start its Premier League season on Saturday when the club heads to the Stadium of Light to take on struggling Sunderland.
The Red Devils have taken just seven points from their first six Premier League matches, their worst start to the league season since the 1989-90 campaign.
An unforgiving schedule that included trips to Anfield and the Etihad could be the greatest contributing factor to United's slow start, but there was no discernible excuse for falling at home to West Bromwich Albion, 2-1, like the Red Devils did in their most recent league outing.
Still, United boss David Moyes is confident that his side will be in the title discussion in the closing months of the season.
"They're really good players and they know the standards they've set over the years," Moyes said. "Together we'll work to get it right, I've got no doubt about that. Anybody who comes in to a new job you learn as you go along and I'm doing that as well. I already knew I was coming to work with a group of really good players but that we'd have difficult times as well.
"There's a long way to go in the Premier League. It's a long season and you see great changes as the season goes on, so we'll hang in there and get ourselves as close to the top as soon as we can. It's a good club, Manchester United. I'm sure they know they picked the right man for the job and Sir Alex (Ferguson) was part of that process as well."
With United taking on Southampton, Stoke City and Fulham in its next three Premier League fixtures, three points against the Black Cats, who enter the contest in last place on one point for the season, could be the shot in the arm that the reigning champions need.
While United has faltered in recent weeks, a trio of title challengers have claimed positive results to climb into the top-three.
Arsenal has won five straight matches after opening the season with a 3-1 home loss to Aston Villa, a run that has lifted the Gunners to first place in the Premier League with 15 points. Arsene Wenger's side will hope to keep that sublime run of form going when it heads to the Hawthorns to take on West Brom on Sunday.
Tottenham and Liverpool are tied for second place on 13 points apiece. Spurs, unbeaten in three, are coming off of a 1-1 home draw with Chelsea and will remain at White Hart Lane for a meeting with West Ham United on Sunday. Liverpool, meanwhile, snapped a two-game winless run with a 3-1 defeat of Sunderland last time out. The Reds will return home to Anfield to face Crystal Palace, which has lost three league matches in a row.
Manchester City has fallen off the pace of league-leading Arsenal as a 3-2 loss to Aston Villa dropped the Citizens to seventh place on 10 points. They will look to bounce back when they host Everton, the last remaining unbeaten team in the Premier League, at the Etihad on Saturday.
Also on Saturday, Cardiff City hosts Newcastle at Cardiff City Stadium, Aston Villa heads to the KC Stadium to face Hull City and Fulham welcomes Stoke City to Craven Cottage.
And on Sunday, Chelsea heads to Carrow Road to take on Norwich City while Southampton welcomes Swansea City to St. Mary's.
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