Premiership
Old Trafford
Saturday, 3 May; KO: 12:45 BST


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Premiership Table:


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Manchester United striker


Wayne Rooney

will return for the club's crucial match against West Ham on Saturday after recovering from a hip injury.



Patrice Evra

should also be fit after receiving a knock against Barcelona in midweek, but


Nemanja Vidic

again remains doubtful with a face injury.

West Ham expect winger Julien Faubert to have shaken off a slight hamstring problem to be fit to start.

However, Freddie Ljungberg (rib) has been added to the list of injuries.




One Down, Three To Go


As Old Trafford erupted in to a scene of jubilation on Tuesday night after Manchester United’s


1-0 victory over Barcelona

saw the team through to their first Champions League final since 1999,
there can be little doubt that Sir Alex Ferguson would have felt a vindicated man.

This feeling would have emanated from the critical barbs that had been projected his way in the wake of the Red Devils’
disappointing


2-1 loss to Chelsea

in their previous Premiership match.

In this game, Ferguson had selected an under strength team that failed to perform in a miserable fashion at the ‘Bridge,
in the process re-igniting a title race that had looked to be all but over the week before.

It is now the job of the Scottish manager to make sure that United get the wins
necessary in their final two league fixtures to ensure that their superior goal difference over Avram Grant’s Chelsea
sees the Premiership trophy retained by the Red Devils.

The first of these games sees West Ham United travel to Old Trafford,
for a game that in recent history has proved to be anything but elementary for Manchester United.
Indeed, the last three meetings between the sides has seen three consecutive wins for the Hammers.

The fact that there are fitness doubts about the participation of key duo Wayne Rooney and Nemanja Vidic
will also only serve to increase the sense of anxiety amongst the United faithful that Alan Curbishley’s side
could deal a hammer blow to their championship hopes.

However, there is now undoubtedly a sense of belief amongst the United squad that the victory over Barcelona
can see this side through for the rest of the season, with Wes Brown commenting that
Quote:

“we know if we play as well as we did in the Champions League then we have a great chance of retaining our title.”

If this is truly the case, then it would seem that come the end of the game on Saturday then an important three points
will have been gained by the Reds in the chase with Chelsea to be crowned Premiership champions.




Party Crashers




When one rewinds back to around this time last year, they would be able to see that one of the greatest escaped acts
in football history had just played out at Old Trafford.

West Ham United, a team that had been both engulfed in scandal over the transfers of Javier Mascherano and Carlos Tevez,
and only a few weeks previously had seemed hopelessly marooned in the relegation places in the table,
turned up for their game against the newly crowned Premiership champions and managed to claim a 1-0 last day victory,
in the process securing their status in the top flight for the next season in the most dramatic of fashions.

Whilst this weekend’s game against Manchester United does not quite hold as much weight for Alan Curbishley’s team,
a win for the Hammers here will not only prove to be a bright spot in a season that has completely
lacked any of the controversies of the previous year, but will also serve of great interest to West Ham’s London neighbours Chelsea.

Indeed, the fact that Alan Curbishley has promised that his team
Quote:

“are not going to roll over and surrender to Manchester United”

on Saturday should provide an ample boost to the hopes of both the Hammers and Blues faithful that
West Ham intend to extend their three game winning streak over Sir Alex Ferguson’s side.

That Curbishley will be attempting to do this with easily the Premiership’s biggest injury list is a fact that the West Ham manager
has been loathsome to let anyone ignore throughout this season, with last weekend’s game at Newcastle United
seeing Freddie Ljungberg added to a treatment table that contains such important players as
Matthew Upson, Craig Bellamy, and Lee Bowyer.

However, stranger things have happened in football than West Ham winning this game,
with this being just the tonic for those who wish to see history repeat once again.




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BIG-MATCH FACTS



Manchester United continue the quest for a first Champions League and Premier League double since 1998-99.

Victory over West Ham, coupled with defeat for Chelsea at Newcastle on Monday,
would effectively give the Red Devils a record 10th Premier League title.
Mathematically Sir Alex Ferguson's side would need another point to retain the crown,
but such is their superior goal difference over the Blues, it's worth one more point to them,
and the celebrations would begin on Monday night, if that scenario is played out.
Manchester United are on the brink of being hailed champions of England for the 17th time in their history.

The title issue will not officially be decided until the last Sunday, when United go to Wigan,
Chelsea host Bolton and Arsenal visit Sunderland.
If the Gunners pick up six points out of six, and Manchester United and Chelsea lose both their games,
Arsene Wenger's club would claim an unlikely fourth Premier League championship.

West Ham have been a thorn in United's side in recent years,
and are vying for a fourth successive victory over the defending champions.
They need a win to cement a top-half finish for the seventh time in 13 seasons in this league,
and a sixth top 10 finish in nine years.

United lost their last league match, 2-1 away to Chelsea last Saturday when they could have all but tied up the title.
Now they must avoid tumbling to their first back-to-back defeats in 117 Premier League outings.

West Ham pulled off a shock 2-1 victory over Manchester United on 29 December,
which puts them on course for a second successive double over the Red Devils.



CLUB FORM:

Club stats
Fixtures

Club stats
Fixtures

KEY PLAYER NOTES







Cristiano RONALDO

is Manchester United's top scorer with 38 goals.


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Premiership Top Scorers:


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The Portuguese is also United's leading Premier League marksman with 28,
and in pole position for the Barclays Golden Boot, four goals ahead of Emmanuel ADEBAYOR of Arsenal.

RONALDO is unlikely now to equal Denis LAW's club record 46 goals in the 1963-64 season,
and with only three games remaining will be hard pressed to catch Ruud VAN NISTELROOY's 44-goal haul in 2002-03.

Between them,


RONALDO


Carlos TEVEZ

and


Wayne ROONEY

have scored 74 of Manchester United's 103 goals this season in all competitions, and 53 of their 74 (72%) in the Premier League.

Ryan GIGGS is still on course to equal Bobby Charlton's
all time appearance record for Manchester United before the season is out.
The Wales international will match Charlton's 759 appearances, if he plays a part in each of United's three remaining matches.

If selected:-

Mikael SILVESTRE will be making his 250th Premier League appearance for Manchester United.

Rio FERDINAND will be facing the club where he began his professional career.
The 29 year old prospective England captain made 158 appearances (127 in the league)
and scored two league goals for the Upton Park club in five years from November 1995,
until his £18m move to Leeds.

Michael CARRICK will also be opposing the club where he was a trainee.
The 26 year old England international made 159 appearances (136 in the league) and scored six League goals
in six seasons for the Eastenders
until his £3m move to Tottenham in August 2004.

Carlos TEVEZ will be facing former club-mates.
The 24 year old Argentina international made 29 appearances (26 in the league) and scored seven league goals for


West Ham last season

If on the field from the outset:-

Long term injury, Gary NEVILLE will be making his 350th Premier League start for Manchester United.

Chris EAGLES will be making his 50th club league start (Manchester United, Watford and Sheffield Wednesday).








Dean ASHTON

is West Ham's top scorer with nine goals.

ASHTON is also the Hammers' top Premier League marksmen with eight.

The club's Premier League goal-scorers list is predominately comprised of English players (10 of 14).


Robert GREEN

is the only remaining player to have been on the field for every minute of every one of West Ham's Premier League
matches this season.

Lee BOWYER is a double shy of 50 career Premier League goals (Leeds, Newcastle and West Ham).

Nol SOLANO needs a double to total 50 Premier League goals (Newcastle, Aston Villa and West Ham).

Fredrik LJUNGBERG is two shy of 50 Premier League goals (Arsenal and West Ham).

If selected:-

ASHTON will be making his 50th appearance for the Hammers.

James COLLINS will be making his 100th career league appearance (Cardiff and West Ham).

Jonathan SPECTOR will be facing the club where he started his professional career,
making eight appearances (three in the League) for United before joining West Ham for £500,000 in June 2006,
after a loan spell with Charlton.

HEAD TO HEAD

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Tevez 45

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Ronaldo 14

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Ferdinand 77

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Upson 82