United duo ready for recalls against Hammers

Manchester United

• Nemanja Vidic is in line to return after seven weeks out with a calf injury.
• He is set to be joined in defence by Rio Ferdinand after serving a four-match ban.
• England star Wayne Rooney has scored 14 goals in his last 14 league games.
• Dimitar Berbatov has scored in his last five Premier League starts.
• Sir Alex Ferguson’s side have won their last four meetings with West Ham.
• United beat the Hammers 4-0 at Upton when the teams met in December.
• The champions have won their last five league games at home, scoring 19 goals in the process.

• Winger Nani is sidelined as he serves the second game of a three-match ban.
• Veteran Ryan Giggs will be out for at least four weeks with a broken arm.
• Midfielder Anderson is an injury doubt.
• Defender John O’Shea is expected to be out until at least next month with a thigh problem.

West Ham United

• Carlton Cole is aiming to score for the third successive game.
• Strike colleague Benni McCarthy is hoping to overcome a knee injury in time.
• West Ham have won back-to-back league games for the first time in nearly a year.
• The Hammers are bidding for a third straight clean sheet and fourth in five matches.
• Kieron Dyer is back in contention after hamstring trouble.

• Herita Ilunga is sidelined for the next three weeks with injury.
• Daniel Gabbidon is still struggling with a hamstring problem.
• Zavon Hines is still doubtful with a knee injury.
• The Hammers have failed to score in their last three games against United.
• West Ham have not won away from home since the opening game of the season, taking just eight points from 13 fixtures.

Expert Advice

Manchester United seemed strangely out of sorts at Everton at the weekend, especially at the back, and Sir Alex Ferguson will be hoping the returns of Ferdinand and Vidic can bring a new focus to his team. The champions may have the Carling Cup Final to look forward to next weekend but they will be desperate to desperate to reduce the gap on leaders Chelsea to a single point again before that. They haven’t needed too much encouragement at home over the last two months and West Ham are likely to have to produce their best performance of the season if they are to stop the home side recording a sixth successive league win at Old Trafford. The Hammers have been vastly improved over the last month to earn themselves some breathing space above the relegation zone but their away form remains a major worry and, with this in mind, Betsson’s odds of 5.15 for a 3-0 home win appears a value bet.

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