Manchester United vs Stoke City - Match Preview

A busy day in the footballing world sees five Premier League fixtures as well as the close of the transfer window at 11pm, and one team who traditionally spend the deadline day furiously brokering last minute deals is Tony Pulis' Stoke City. Before that 11pm deadline however, is the small matter of a trip to Old Trafford to play the Champions. Stoke are currently on something of a poor run: only one win in the past six games suggests form and confidence might not be high, and their long season looks to be having an impact on the pitch. But 8th place still represents a very good season for Pulis' men, and they will certainly represent a threat to United, and they will hope that their attacking threat will be enough to show up the cracks in Sir Alex's defence, who continue to badly miss Nemanja Vidic. Manchester United meanwhile are a wounded animal at the minute, having crashed out of the Champions League and FA Cup far earlier than expectations might have suggested, and with only the Premiership and Europa League left to compete for, they cannot afford to drop any more points. Stoke might not historically represent a massive threat to that, with the Champions undefeated by this particular opponent since back in 1976, but they have proved a thorn in the sides of the top six so far, and they are certainly not an easy team to push over. A lot will depend on Wayne Rooney - as always - and Manchester United will need him to be fit, as well as to do something he hasn't yet ever been able to do and score against Stoke.

Team News

Sir Alex Ferguson says Rio Ferdinand may return tonight as he makes his bid to regain fitness. He was on the bench against Liverpool on Saturday after having just one training session following the Anfield defeat after suffering from a back problem. More likely to start are Wayne Rooney and Phil Jones who have been carrying ankle knocks, though Nani's foot injury definitely rules him out. Michael Owen, Anderson and Tom Cleverly aren't back in contention yet. For Stoke, winger Matthew Etherington is a doubt after picking up a groin injury in the FA Cup victory over Derby. Mamady Sidibe (knee) is doubt for Stoke but Jermaine Pennant's excellent substitute display last weekend may be enough for him to start. Otherwise manager Tony Pulis has a full squad to choose from;

Line-ups from;

Man United (from): De Gea, Lindegaard, Amos, Smalling, Rafael, Ferdinand, Evra, Jones, Evans, Fabio, Fryers, Cole, Carrick, Scholes, Pogba, M Keane, Valencia, Park, Giggs, Rooney, Welbeck, Berbatov, Hernandez. Stoke (from): Sorensen, Begovic, Wilkinson, Huth, Shawcross, Wilson, Pennant, Delap, Palacios, Etherington, Crouch, Walters, Shotton, Upson, Diao, Jones, Whitehead, Whelan, Woodgate, Fuller, Higginbotham, Jerome.