Date: Sunday, February 9 Venue: Old Trafford Kick-Off: 16:00 Can Manchester United keep up their chase for a top four spot when they entertain rock-bottom Fulham in the Barclay's Premier League?
Team News
Manchester United captain Nemanja Vidic, who has announced he is leaving at the end of the season, is available following suspension. Vidic is likely to replace Jonny Evans, who misses out with a calf strain, though fellow defender Phil Jones is available. Fulham are expected to hand debuts to transfer deadline day duo Kostas Mitroglou and Johnny Heitinga, either from the start or off the bench. (bbc)
Key Stats
Manchester United have won their last 11 league and cup games against Fulham at Old Trafford, scoring 30 goals. Fulham have avoided defeat at United only once in 51 years - a 3-1 Premier League victory in October 2003, when Lee Clark, Steed Malbranque and Junichi Inamoto scored for the visitors. Fulham have lost 13 of their last 16 league games, including the last four. Manchester United are 19 points, seven wins, six places and 20 goals worse off than at the same stage of last season, their lowest points tally after 24 matches since 1990-91.
Likely Line-Ups
Man Utd De Gea, Rafael, Smalling, Vidic, Evra, Jones, Fletcher, Mata, Rooney, Januzaj, Van Persie Fulham Stekelenburg, Riether, Burn, Hangeland, Richardson, Sidwell, Parker, Duff, Kacaniklic, Dempsey, Mitroglou
Match Preview
Fulham travel to Manchester this afternoon following a run of truly miserable form, losing 13 of their last 16 league games and sitting rock bottom of the Premier League. Defeat to Sheffield United in the FA Cup on Tuesday only compounded their anguish and some thought manager Rene Meulensteen wouldn't even make it to this fixture. But he is still in charge and returns to former club Manchester United, where he worked as an assistant for six years, with the pressure very much on. Meulensteen said after defeat to Sheffield United this week that his side had "hit rock bottom" but things could get a lot worse yet - defeat to United would leave Fulham 5 points off safety. United have won their last 11 league and cup games against the Cottagers at Old Trafford, scoring 30 goals in the process - a tall order then here. The Red Devils themselves aren't exactly in terrific form, however. They have lost four Premier League home matches this season - the most since suffering 6 defeats at Old Trafford in 2001-02. And while this fixture may have once represented a 'gimme' for United, it could be a banana skin today. Still, I am backing David Moyes's side to win this one. Prediction: 2-0
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.
