Manchester United Vs Sunderland

Man Utd striker Louis Saha makes his long-awaited return to the squad after injury and Anderson could feature too.

Wayne Rooney (foot), Gary Neville (thigh) and Cristiano Ronaldo (banned) are out and Ole Solskjaer has retired.

Sunderland new boys Kenwyne Jones and Danny Higginbotham could play, though Jones has a slight hamstring problem.

Ian Harte and Andrew Cole are short of match fitness, Greg Halford is banned and Paul McShane (shoulder) and Kieran Richardson (back) are doubts.

Sunderland (from): Gordon, Ward, Nosworthy, Kay, McShane, Anderson, Higginbotham, Collins, Wallace, Etuhu, Yorke, Miller, Leadbitter, Richardson, Chopra, Jones, Stokes, Murphy, Connolly, O'Donovan.


BIG-MATCH FACTS
Roy Keane returns to Old Trafford for the first time as an opposing manager, as Manchester United against Sunderland, pits the oldest and youngest managers in the Premier League against each other.

This will be Sir Alex Ferguson's 1,159th match in charge of the Red Devils, and Keane's 48th at the help of the Black Cats.

Defeat for Manchester United would make it their worst ever start to this stage of a Premier League season.

The Wearsiders are suffering their worst spell under Keane, with three straight defeats in league and Carling Cup.

United are looking for the one shut-out that will make them the first club to accumulate 250 clean sheets in the Premier League.

Sunderland ended the Red Devils' 100% home Premier League record against them when the last meeting at Old Trafford on 14 April 2006 ended goalless. Goalkeeper Kelvin Davis produced the performance of his life on that Good Friday, as the Black Cats ended United's fading title dreams but also sealed their own, inevitable relegation.


MANCHESTER UNITED

1. Never banked less than six points after the first five matches of a Premier League season. The only season they claimed as few as six points from a first possible 15 was 2004-05 when they went on to finish third.
2. Won one of the last six Premier League matches; 1-0, home to Tottenham, last Sunday.
3. Providing the least value for money in terms of goals on show in the Premier League so far this season. Their four games have yielded just four goals (two for, two against).
4. One of three clubs with the weakest attack in the Premier League. Reading and West Ham have also scored just twice, although the Hammers have only played three matches. The Royals and the Red Devils are averaging one goal every three hours of Premier League football played.
5. Only scored more than a single goal in one of the last nine Premier League matches; the 2-4 victory at Everton on 28 April. Conversely, they have only conceded more than a single goal in one of the last 10 league matches; in that visit to Goodison Park four months ago.
6. Failed to score in four of the last six league outings.
7. On the longest current run in the Premier League of 44 games since a loss by more than a single goal; the 3-0 reverse by Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on 29 April 2006.
8. Kept back-to-back clean sheets at Old Trafford, and one of four clubs yet to concede a goal at home in the Premier League. The others are Manchester City, Newcastle and Wigan.
9. Conceded more than a single goal in only one of the last 28 home league matches; the 3-2 win against Reading on 30 December 2006. Clean sheets have been kept in 17 of those 28 games.
10. A trip to Everton awaits after the international break, before Chelsea visit Old Trafford.
    

SUNDERLAND

1. Just one point behind Manchester United, having scored one more goal but conceded five more.
2. Lost the last two Premier League matches without scoring in either; 3-0 away to Wigan, and 0-2, home to Liverpool. Then they were humiliated by Luton 3-0 in the Carling Cup at Kenilworth Road on Tuesday night.
3. Not lost more than two league games in a row since starting last season with four defeats on the bounce, just prior to Roy Keane's arrival.
4. Not lost three consecutive Premier League games since 1 May 2006.
5. Completed 57 league matches (11 Premier League) since failing to score in three successive games between 11 and 25 March 2006, against Wigan (h), Bolton (a) and Blackburn (h).
6. The goalless draw with Manchester United on 14 April 2006 is their only clean sheet in 11 away matches in the Premier League.
7. Averaging a point a game this season, but had no points after the first five outings in their most recent campaign at this level in the season before last.
8. One of three clubs yet to score in the first half of a Premier League game this season. The others are Aston Villa and West Ham.
9. One of three clubs yet to score in the first half of a Premier League game this season. The others are Aston Villa and West Ham. Also, the only club to have scored as many as two Premier League goals in stoppage time.
10. Conceded more penalties in Premier League matches this season than any other club, with the exception of Liverpool. Both have had two spot kicks awarded against them.
11. Won one of their last 17 away matches in the Premier League; 0-1 at West Brom on 21 January 2006. Since then, only three Premier League points from a possible 33 have been gained on the road from draws at Everton (2-2, 1 April 2006), Manchester United (0-0, 14 April 2006) and Birmingham (2-2, 15 August 2007).

MANCHESTER UNITED
Paul SCHOLES and NANI are the only players to have scored for Manchester United in this Premier League season.

Ryan GIGGS is a double short of 100 career League goals.

If he plays:-
John O'SHEA will be making his 200th start for Manchester United.

Suspended:-
Cristiano RONALDO (one match)

SUNDERLAND
Michael CHOPRA has scored two of Sunderland's three goals so far.
CHOPRA is a hat trick shy of 50 career league goals (Newcastle, Watford, Barnsley, Cardiff and Sunderland).

Last season's top scorer David CONNOLLY needs one goal to total 100 in his league career (Watford, Wolves, Wimbledon, West Ham, Leicester, Wigan and Sunderland).

If he plays:-
Andrew COLE will be facing a former club. The 35 year old England international made 275 appearances (195 in the league) and scored 121 goals (93 league) for United between January 1995 and December 2001.

Kieran RICHARDSON will be opposing the club where he started his professional career. The 22 year old England international midfielder made 81 appearances (41 in the league) and scored 11 goals (two league) for the Old Trafford club before his close season move to Wearside.

Dwight YORKE will be playing against the club who paid Aston Villa £12.6m for him in August 1998. The 35 year old made 152 appearances (96 in the league) and scored 65 goals (48 league) for the Red Devils in four years at the Theatre of Dreams.

HEAD TO HEAD
Sunderland have beaten Manchester United only once in the Premier League; a 2-1 victory at Roker Park on 8 March 1997 when Michael Gray and John Mullin were on target.

The Wearsiders' only away League maximum over United in their last 25 visits was 39 years ago. Since the 1-2 triumph on 11 May 1968, Sunderland have drawn six and lost 10 League trips to Old Trafford.

Home and away
League (inc PL): Man Utd 45 wins, Sunderland 37, Draws 26
Prem: Man Utd 8 wins, Sunderland 1, Draws 3

at Man United only
League (inc PL): Man Utd 30 wins, Sunderland 11, Draws 13
Prem: Man Utd 5 wins, Sunderland 0, Draws 1


REFEREE
Martin Atkinson (Yorkshire)



After reading these information, what is your score prediction of this match?

Source - BBC Sport