Manchester United vs Sunderland team news: Radamel Falcao starts and Michael Carrick returns to the bench but Van Gaal changes five

Fellaini and McNair drop to the bench as Van Gaal makes five changes

Falcao shakes hands with Van Gaal after his substitution (Getty Images)

Louis van Gaal has made five changes to the Manchester United team that was defeated at Swansea last week.

Misfiring striker Radamel Falcao returns to the team in the place of the injured Robin van Persie, who is expected to miss at least a month with an ankle injury.

Van Gaal, who complained about his team's lack of a 20-goal striker this week, has made four other changes, three of those in defence.

Antonio Valencia, Chris Smalling and Jonny Evans all start, with Paddy McNair dropping to the bench and Luke Shaw and Phil Jones both out.

Further forward, Marouane Fellaini drops to the bench in favour of Ashley Young.

For Sunderland, Gus Poyet has made three changes with Patrick van Aanholt, Jordi Gomez and Connor Wichkam returning to the side.

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LINE-UPS:

Manchester United: De Gea, Valencia, Smalling, Evans, Rojo, Blind, Herrera, Young, Di Maria, Rooney, Falcao.

Subs: Lindegaard, McNair, Carrick, Fellaini, Mata, Januzaj, Wilson

Sunderland: Pantilimon, Reveillere, Van Aanholt, Brown, O’Shea, Cattermole, Larsson, Gomez, Johnson, Wickham, Defoe.

Subs: Mannone, Bridcutt Fletcher, Graham, Coates, Vergini, Watmore