Sunday, March 25, 2012

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26.03. (Mon) 21:00 Manchester United - Fulham


PROBABLE LINEUPS

MANCHESTER UNITED

De Gea
Rafael, Evans, Ferdinand, Evra
Valencia, Carrick, Giggs, Young
Welbeck, Rooney
FULHAM
 
SchwarzerKelly, Senderos, Hangeland, Riise
Murphy, Diarra
 Duff, Dempsey, DembelePogrebnyak

There are no fresh injury worries for Sir Alex Ferguson, so it should be a case of picking his strongest team available, but Paul Scholes could be due for a rest up against opponents they traditionally have a good record against at Old Trafford.

Fulham confirmed earlier in the week that the only unavailable players for the trip to Old Trafford would be Orlando Sa, Zdenek Grygera and Steve Sidwell. In recent weeks they have been playing a more attacking formation, with Dembele dropping deep and both Pavel Pogrebnyak and Andrew Johnson up front.

But up against the champions at Old Trafford, expect a more imposing central midfield of Danny Murphy and Mahamadou Diarra, with Dembele in an attacking role.

DID YOU KNOW?
  • The last goal Fulham scored at Old Trafford came in 2006, an own goal scored by Rio Ferdinand.
  • Manchester United have won nine penalties this season, the most in the Premier League.
  • Wayne Rooney has scored 16 goals in his last 16 games for United in all competitions.
  • Rooney also has five goals in his last four games against Fulham at Old Trafford.
  • Martin Jol has never beaten Manchester United in the Premier League as a manager. After drawing his first two matches against them, he has lost the last seven.
  • Pavel Pogrebnyak has scored five goals for Fulham from five shots on target.
  • Only David Silva has more assists than Antonio Valencia this season, creating 12 goals to the United winger's 11.
  • Both sides are in a select group of four teams to have scored more than five goals in a game this season - with United beating Arsenal 8-2 and Fulham beating QPR 6-0. The others to make up the group are Arsenal and Manchester City.
  • Since United's 3-3 draw against Chelsea, they have won five straight league games. However, in that same period of time they have lost three games in the all competitions, including twice at home in the Europa League.
Prediction
Fulham haven't scored at Old Trafford in the past five seasons, and while they should break that duck, they have little hope of defeating the the champions at home as momentum builds towards another title for Sir Alex Ferguson's side after Manchester City's draw against Stoke.
Editor's Prediction
Man Utd. 3-1 Fulham