Ferguson, Berbatov - Getty
| PROBABLE LINEUPS |
MANCHESTER UNITED  De Gea Smalling, Ferdinand, Jones, Evra Valencia, Carrick, Giggs, Nani Rooney, Berbatov | BLACKBURN ROVERS  Bunn Lowe, Samba, Hanley, Olsson Vukcevic, Dunn, N’Zonzi, Pedersen Formica Yakubu |
Sir Alex Ferguson hopes to welcome Chris Smalling, Rio Ferdinand and Phil Jones back to the defence, but Jonny Evans will miss out after picking up a calf injury in the Wigan match. United’s injury list still includes the likes of Anderson, Tom Cleverley, Michael Owen, Darren Fletcher, Ashley Young and Nemanja Vidic.
Martin Olsson remains a doubt but could provide a welcome boost by returning at left-back for Blackburn. Junior Hoilett picked up an injury in Rovers’ 1-1 draw with Liverpool and could miss out here, while Paul Robinson is unlikely to be rushed back into action after Mark Bunn’s impressive display at Anfield.
| DID YOU KNOW? |
- Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson will celebrate his 70th birthday on the day of the match.
- United will have thoroughly enjoyed their two matches against Rovers last season. After beating them 7-1 at home, they could only draw 1-1 at Ewood Park, but that point was enough to hand them the Premier League title.
Dimitar Berbatov’s hat-trick on Boxing Day gives him the best goals to games ratio in the Premier League this season of any United player not named Wayne Rooney.
- Phil Jones (pictured right), if fit, will face his former club for the first time since his move to Old Trafford in the summer.
- Blackburn Rovers have won just one of their last 13 Premier League fixtures, and have only two top-flight victories under their belt all season.
- Their 1-1 draw with Liverpool snapped a three-game losing run, but they remain rooted to the bottom of the table.
- After 18 matches last season, Rovers had collected 22 points, double their tally so far this season, and were sat in 12th place in the Premier League.
- Blackburn have not beaten United since 2006, when they recorded a 4-3 win at Ewood Park. Morten Gamst Pedersen and Ryan Nelsen are the only players who featured that day who still remain at the club, although the latter is currently injured.
Having dispatched Fulham and Wigan, it is difficult to see Blackburn preventing United from taking all three points here. Sir Alex’s team should stroll to a victory that will put them at least temporarily top of the Premier League, with Manchester City not due to play until New Year’s Day.
Editor's Prediction
Man Utd. 3-0 Blackburn Rovers 
