EPL: Manchester United vs Sunderland
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vs
Man Utd v Sunderland - Channel: 27 - 12:15am - (Live)
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.
Man Utd : Van der Sar, Kuszczak, Heaton, Brown, Ferdinand, Vidic, O'Shea, Evra, Silvestre, Fletcher, Eagles, Carrick, Scholes, Hargreaves, Nani, Anderson, Giggs, Saha, Tevez.
Sunderland : Gordon, Ward, Nosworthy, Kay, McShane, Anderson, Higginbotham, Collins, Wallace, Etuhu, Yorke, Miller, Leadbitter, Richardson, Chopra, Jones, Stokes, Murphy, Connolly, O'Donovan.
REFEREE
Martin Atkinson (Yorkshire) -
Sunderland watchers wonder if he is deliberately creating a mini Old Trafford by the river Wear. After all, his current squad and staff feature nine United old boys including Andy Cole, Kieran Richardson and Dwight Yorke.
Quote from Roy Keane:"We tried to get the United team bus driver as well but he wouldn't come," joked Keane. "I have not necessarily gone out of my way to bring ex-United players and staff to the club. It just worked out that way, and it helped I knew them personally.
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Bus driver
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One more game till shirt number 7 returns, I can't wait!
he jolly well not pick up anymore Red Cards. -
is Harte the guy used to be from Leeds?
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man united sure thrash sunderland.
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Yeap. He takes wicked free kicks.Originally posted by leo-kun:is Harte the guy used to be from Leeds?
Cheers.
CK -
thats history la....
anyways who's watching tonight?? -
meme!Originally posted by imprezaWRXSTi22B:thats history la....
anyways who's watching tonight??
hopefully they'll manage to show Ole saying thanks to the fans..
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go keano all the way..
make a giant killing! -
BIG-MATCH FACTS
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 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.
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.
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. -
Kieran Richardson for a Hat Trick
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cool..Anderson and Eagles playing.
Giggs and Carrick not playing.
edit: oops Scholes is playing..
Saha's on the bench -
Wah Anderson and Eagles first time starting...
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wa the reception for Keano so good
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Woot GOH for OLE!!! yay amazing stuff!
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He look so smart in his dark blue suit... with his hair all nicely comb...Originally posted by omgukilledkenny:wa the reception for Keano so good -
dam Richardson not playing...=x
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Ferdinand is the stand-in captain today...
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anderson! 1st time seeing him play
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Anderson looks like he's getting double teamed.
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Woh... Hargreaves is good, breaking up most of the sunderland attack so far...
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That Higginbotham very good leh... cutting out most of united's attack...
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woo nice cross by evra...
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Sunderland defending in packs, just like Reading..