Date: Sunday, November 24 Venue: Cardiff City Stadium Kick-Off: 16:00 Can Manchester United continue their ascent up the Premier League table with victory over Cardiff City on Sunday?
Team News
Cardiff could hand a start to the returning Peter Odemwingie, who has recovered from a minor muscle injury. Aron Gunnarsson is fit despite being forced off with injury for Iceland on Tuesday - as is Andreas Cornelius, who has been sidelined since August with an ankle injury. Manchester United will be without duo Michael Carrick and Phil Jones on Sunday. Midfielder Carrick, who was today handed a new contract, has an Achilles injury, while defender Jones is out with a groin problem. The Red Devils will assess the fitness of Robin van Persie (above) and strike partner Danny Welbeck after the pair withdrew from international duty because of injuries. (BBC)
Key Stats
Manchester United and Cardiff have not met in a competitive fixture since March 1975, while the last top-flight encounter was way back in February 1962. Cardiff's last win in this fixture was a 3-0 victory in a top-flight match at Ninian Park on 26 November 1960. The Red Devils have won the last four meetings. United are unbeaten in nine league and cup games (W6, D3). They have won their last three Premier League fixtures.
Likely Line-Ups
Cardiff Marshall, Taylor, Caulker, Turner, Theophile-Catherine, Medel, Gunnarsson, Whittingham, Bellamy, Cowie, Odemwingie Man Utd De Gea, Evra, Vidic, Evans, Smalling, Cleverley, Fellaini, Kagawa, Rooney, Valencia, van Persie
Match Preview
There are some people, this writer included, who weren't alive the last time Cardiff took on Manchester United. March, 1975 was the last time these two sides met, while you have to go back even further to find the last time the hosts emerged victorious from this fixture - 26 November 1960. That was at Ninian Park, which stopped serving as a football stadium in 2009 and has been demolished to make way for a new housing development. This fixture does have an air of significance about it however, because it was 60 years ago that the legendary Duncan Edwards made his debut as a then-unheard of teenager against the Bluebirds. Sir Matt Busby once heralded him as "the most complete footballer in Britain - possibly the world", but tragically, he never realised his huge potential when he became a victim of the 1958 Munich Air Disaster. Today's aspiring United side will be looking to continue their recent run of form against Cardiff, with starlets such as David de Gea, Phil Jones and Tom Cleverley playing a big part in their recent successes. Up to fifth in the table, can these 'Babes' continue their push in the title race? 0-3
Joseph is an accredited football journalist and has interviewed nearly all of the current 20 Barclay's Premier League managers. He is also a correspondent for Bleacher Report and has written for Caught Offside and Give Me Football.
