Venue: Old Trafford Date: Wednesday, 16th January K/o: 20:05 GMT
Team News
Manchester United welcome back Wayne Rooney and Nani for this third-round FA Cup replay against West Ham. Rooney is set to feature for the first time since damaging his knee in training on Christmas Day whilst Nani makes his long-awaited comeback from a hamstring injury that has ruled him out of his side's last 15 games. Fellow winger Ashley Young is a doubt with a knee injury. West Ham are without James Collins (hamstring), which will provide manager Sam Allardyce with a selection headache with only James Tomkins, Guy Demel and Winston Reid remaining as his fit front-line defenders. Ricardo Vaz-Te may play in an attacking role to support Carlton Cole.
Match Preview
West Ham were minutes away from securing a shock 2-1 win at Upton Park eleven days ago. Tom Cleverley had put the visitors ahead with a smart strike before new Hammers signing Joe Cole twice set up James Collins who scored with two near-identical headers to leave United facing the stark prospect of being eliminated from the FA Cup at the first hurdle. Up stepped who else but Robin van Persie to notch a last-gasp leveler which sets up this replay. West Ham will miss Collins today, who was so instrumental for them both at the back and going forward in the first game. Sam Allardyce will be hoping winger Joe Cole can put in the same sort of inspired display but he will also be wary of the return of attacking duo Wayne Rooney and Nani, who will be looking to expose the Hammers defensive injury crisis.
Likely Line-Ups
Man Utd de Gea, Evra, Ferdinand, Vidic, Rafael, Nani, Carrick, Cleverley, Valencia, Rooney, Welbeck
West Ham Jaaskelainen, Reid, Demel, Tomkins, Spence, Nolan, Noble, Jarvis, J.Cole, Vaz-Te, C.Cole Source(s):
BBC