vs.

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Matchweek 13


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Venue: Old Trafford


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Table


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Team News

Wayne Rooney is expected to shrug off a slight chest infection in time to face Stoke at Old Trafford.

Cristiano Ronaldo, Dimitar Berbatov and Rio Ferdinand are among those likely to be recalled after being left out for United's Carling Cup win over QPR.

Man Utd : Van der Sar, Foster, Kuszczak, Neville, Rafael, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evans, Evra, O'Shea, Ronaldo, Park, Anderson, Carrick, Giggs, Nani, Fletcher, Berbatov, Rooney, Tevez.

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Stoke manager Tony Pulis is hoping striker Mamady Sidibe will be fit enough to feature in the game.

Sidibe suffered an ankle injury against Wigan and missed the Carling Cup victory over Rotherham in midweek.


Stoke : Sorensen, Griffin, Shawcross, Abdoulaye Faye, Higginbotham, Olofinjana, Amdy Faye, Diao, Delap, Sidibe, Fuller, Whelan, Cresswell, Kitson, Simonsen, Wilkinson, Cort, Tong, Pugh, Dickinson.

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Big Match Facts

Arsenal brought an end to Manchester United's seven-match unbeaten Premier League sequence last Saturday, but they welcome Stoke to Old Trafford pursuing a fifth successive home win.

Newly promoted Stoke, who've held Liverpool to a goalless draw at Anfield, beaten Arsenal 2-1 at home, and picked up seven points from a last possible nine, travel to the Theatre of Dreams in search of their first ever Premier League win away from home.

The Red Devils take on the Potters in danger of losing successive matches for the first time in 130 Premier League outings since losing away to Norwich and Everton on 9 and 20 April 2005 respectively.

United have won as many league games as the Potters have lost so far this season (six).

Stoke travel in search of their first victory at Old Trafford in 32 years, since their 0-1 top-flight triumph on 21 April 1976 when United were in the top three and the Potters in lower mid table. Alan Bloor scored the winner.

Distance between the clubs: 43 miles (69 kilometres)

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Club Form

Manchester United

4th 21 points
Highest achievable after Saturday's matches: 3rd
Lowest could fall: 5th

1. Hoping to add to their unparalleled 400 Premier League victories.

2. Eager to avoid a 150th top-flight defeat under Sir Alex Ferguson.

3. On a league high 48 matches without a no score draw; the goalless stalemate, home to Reading on the opening day of last season, 12 August 2007, being the most recent.

4. Scored in each of the last 35 league games; the 1-0 defeat away to Bolton on 24 November 2007 was the last occasion in which they failed to score.

5. Also on the longest current run in the highest league of 89 matches since a loss by more than a single goal; the most recent being 3-0, away to Chelsea on 29 April 2006.

6. Playing their third fixture of the season against promoted clubs; already beaten West Brom 4-0 and Hull 4-3 at Old Trafford.

7. The highest 'home' goal scorers in the Premier League in 2008; netted 38 goals in 14 matches.

8. The lowest placed of remaining clubs with unbeaten home records in the Premier League; defeat here would equal their total of home losses last season.

9. The next goal conceded in a home league game will be the 200th shipped in the Premier League at Old Trafford.

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Stoke City

12th 14 points
Highest achievable after Saturday's matches: 8th
Lowest could fall: 16th

1. Beaten Sunderland and Arsenal at home, and drawn away to Wigan in their last three Premier League matches.

2. Lost 50% of their top-flight matches under Tony Pulis (six of 12), and won four of 12 (33%).

3. Seven of their 13 Premier League goals have come from long throw-ins, but six of those were scored at the Britannia Stadium.

4. One of three clubs with a 100% record from Premier League matches in which they scored the opening goal; won four of four.

5. Yet to pick up a first point after falling behind in a Premier League match.

6. One of three clubs still without an away victory in the top division this season, and scored just one goal in their last four away from the Britannia Stadium.

7. Not won in 27 top-flight matches away from home since beating Luton 0-1 on 7 May 1984.

8. Gained just two points on the road this term from goalless draws with Liverpool at Anfield on 20 September, and Wigan at the JJB on 8 November.

9. Pursuing a first ever Premier League victory against a North-West club.

10. Their last top-flight win against a North-West club was 2-1, home to Manchester United on Boxing Day 1984

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Key Player Notes

Manchester United

Rio FERDINAND is the only remaining player to have been on the field for every minute of every one of Manchester United's Premier League matches this season.

Wayne ROONEY needs one more to total 100 club goals (Everton and Manchester United).

Cristiano RONALDO is one goal shy of 100 for Manchester United.

If selected:-

Paul SCHOLES will be playing on the eve of his 34th birthday.

NANI will be playing two days before his 22nd birthday.

If on the field from the outset:-

John O'SHEA will be making his 150th English league start (Manchester United and Bournemouth).

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Stoke City

Andy GRIFFIN is the only remaining player to have been on the field for every minute of every one of Stoke's Premier League matches.

If selected:-

Dave KITSON will be making his 250th career league appearance (Cambridge United, Reading and Stoke).

Carl DICKINSON will be making his 50th league appearance in Stoke colours.

Danny HIGGINBOTHAM, Danny PUGH and Ryan SHAWCROSS will all be playing against the club where they were trainees. Each made a handful of appearances for Manchester United.

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Head to Head

These clubs have not met for league action since Manchester United's 5-0 home win on 6 April 1985 when there was a brace a piece for Mark Hughes and Jesper Olsen and Norman Whiteside got the other. The Potters, who were relegated just weeks later, had earlier beaten United 2-1 at home.

Subsequently the pair clashed over two legs in the second round of the Coca Cola League Cup in September and October 1993, which the Red Devils won 3-2 on aggregate.

United are bidding for a fifth successive home league victory over Stoke.

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Home and away
League (inc PL): Man Utd 26 wins, Stoke 20, Draws 24
Prem: Man Utd 0 wins, Stoke 0, Draws 0

at Man Utd only
League (inc PL): Man Utd 17 wins, Stoke 5, Draws 13
Prem: Man Utd 0 wins, Stoke 0, Draws 0

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Referee

Mark Halsey (Lancashire)


Matches: 5
Red: 1
Yellow: 3