Manchester United v Newcastle: Preview

Wayne Rooney

Wayne Rooney and Nemanja Vidic are set to return for Manchester United for their Premier League encounter with Newcastle at Old Trafford.

Rooney missed Tuesday night's draw with Benfica with a hip injury sustained last week at Swansea whilst Vidic was ruled out through suspension.

However, both are included in a squad missing Anderson (knee), Michael Owen (thigh) and Tom Cleverley (ankle) as the Reds look to close the gap on leaders Manchester City to two points.

Ahead of the game United midfielder Darren Fletcher said: The thing I have been most impressed about with them (Newcastle)this season has been their work ethic.

Theyve bought into what manager Alan Pardew is preaching. I know they were beaten for the first time this season at City last week but they played well and only lost to two penalties and a sloppy goal.

They wont have been derailed by that and we expect them to come here to get back up and running. But weve got to keep close to City and to make sure we are breathing down their necks.

Click below to hear MEN Sport's Paul Handler talk to Manchester United reporter Stuart Mathieson ahead of the game



Sir Alex Ferguson added: "Everyone has been taken by Newcastle's start to the season and the credit must go to Alan Pardew.

"When he was at Reading we gave him Luke Chadwick on loan. He was first-class in terms of the information he was giving us. He is very meticulous.

"He has grasped the nettle at Newcastle very well and they are all working like Trojans up there."

However, with Manchester City reeling after their Champions League defeat in Naples and having to face another stiff examination at Liverpool on Sunda! y, now w ould seem like the perfect time for Ferguson's team to reduce the gap, even if the Scot's sights are firmly trained on his traditional date of assessment, January 1.

"Being there at New Years' Day is the big one for us," he said.

"If we are around about the top, the second half of the season presents an opportunity for us.

"With the way this club is organised to perform in the second half of the season, it helps us.

"That is my aim. It doesn't matter how we get there, or who is around us - Chelsea, Manchester City or Arsenal - as long as we are."

Gabriel Obertan will return to the Newcastle squadagainst hisformer club.

The Frenchman, who has missed the last two games with a toe infection, is expected to be available, as is fellow midfielder Danny Guthrie, who should make the game despite missing training this week because of a hip injury.

However, Ivory Coast international Cheik Tiote (knee) and Republic of Ireland striker Leon Best (groin) remain doubts, while Sylvain Marveaux is expected to be sidelined for up to four months after undergoing groin surgery.

Manchester United (from): De Gea, Lindegaard, Rafael, Smalling, Fabio, Jones, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evans, Evra, Nani, Valencia, Gibson, Carrick, Fletcher, Park, Giggs, Young, Rooney, Hernandez, Berbatov.

Newcastle United (from): Krul, Elliot, Simpson, R Taylor, Santon, Ferguson, Coloccini, S Taylor, Perch, Cabaye, Gutierrez, Gosling, Guthrie, Obertan, Ben Arfa, Abeid, Vuckic, Smith, Ba, Shola Ameobi, Lovenkrands, Sammy Ameobi.

United league form: DLWWW

Newcastle league form: DWWWL

Key opponent: Demba Ba - one of the league's form strikers

Prediction: United 2 Newcastle 0 - with Rooney and Vidic back United should be sharper at both ends of the field

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Click here for all the latest odds from Betfred.

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