Barclays Premier League
Venue: Old Trafford Date: Sunday, 16 August Kick-off: 1330 BST
Coverage: BBC Sport website, BBC Radio 5 Live, local radio, highlights on MOTD2 and live on Sky Sports 1
TEAM NEWS
**Man Utd have defensive problems despite Wes Brown’s recovery from a thigh problem, with Jonny Evans doubtful and Nemanja Vidic and Rafael ruled out.**Ben Foster (knee) or Tomasz Kuszczak will deputise for Edwin van der Sar, while Nani (shoulder) could feature after playing for Portugal in midweek.
Birmingham are also short of defenders, with Martin Taylor and Liam Ridgewell long-term absentees.
Roger Johnson will make his debut but midfielder Lee Bowyer is suspended.
Manchester United
Suspended: None
Doubtful: Evans (ankle), Foster (knee), Neville (groin) Injured: Hargreaves (knee), Obertan (unspecified), Rafael (shoulder), van der Sar (hand), Vidic (calf)
Birmingham City
Suspended: Bowyer (2 of 3)
Doubtful: Benitez (match fitness) Injured: Bent (hamstring), Dann (groin), Espinoza (groin), Murphy (fractured kneecap), Mutch (foot), Ridgewell (broken leg), Martin Taylor (ankle)
MATCH PREVIEW
Birmingham return to the top flight looking for a first win against Manchester United since 1978.
“Maybe we have been a little bit too expansive at times… I think you are going to see a more rigid 4-4-2 this season”
Man Utd midfielder Darren Fletcher
That was the year that Sir Alex Ferguson took over at Aberdeen, advising a young defender named Alex McLeish to give up his accountancy studies and focus on a career in football instead.
The pair remain close to this day - McLeish consulted his mentor before quitting Scotland to take charge of Birmingham in 2007.
Manchester United are chasing a fourth consecutive Premier League title but how much will the departures of Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez, who contributed 41 goals last season, blunt their attacking edge
606: DEBATE
Have your say on Sunday’s match
The Red Devils have a habit of misfiring on the opening weekend, drawing at home to Reading in 2007 and Newcastle last year.
On both occasions the visitors were relegated the following May so a point may not necessarily be a good omen for Blues’ survival prospects.
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
• Manchester United are unbeaten against Birmingham in 21 games (20 league), winning 14 and drawing six since a 5-1 defeat at St Andrews on 11 November 1978.
• Birmingham’s last win away to the Red Devils was 2-1 on 2 Jan 1978.
Manchester United
• Manchester United have lost their opening Premier League game only once since 1995 - away to Chelsea in 2004.
• Rio Ferdinand is set for his 400th career league appearance.
• The Red Devils won their 18th league title (11 in Premier League) with 90 points in 2008/09 - their highest tally since 2000. They also equalled their club record of 28 wins in a Premier League season.
Birmingham City
• Blues have won their opening Premier League game once in five attempts. They beat Tottenham 1-0 at home in August 2003.
• Alex McLeish’s side are unbeaten in their last five away games, a run stretching back to a 2-1 defeat at Sheffield United on 1 March.
• Birmingham struggled away from home during their last Premier League campaign in 2007/08, losing 14 of 19 games, winning only two.
LEADING GOALSCORERS
Man Utd
Cristiano Ronaldo: 26 goals (18 league) Wayne Rooney: 20 goals (12 league)
**Birmingham **
Kevin Phillips: 15 goals (all league) Cameron Jerome: 10 goals (9 league)
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Lee Mason
Assistant referees: Jake Collin, Michael Murphy
Fourth official: Mike Dean
LAST LEAGUE MATCH LINE-UPS
**Man Utd **(W1-0 v Hull, a): Kuszczak, Rafael Da Silva (Eckersley 60), Neville, Brown, De Laet (Possebon 79), Nani, Fletcher, Gibson, Welbeck (Tosic 87), Martin, Macheda.
**Birmingham **(W2-1 v Reading, a): Maik Taylor, Carr, Martin Taylor, Jaidi, Traore, McFadden (Larsson 65), Carsley, Johnson, Fahey, Phillips (Bouazza 72), Jerome (O’Connor 80).
MOST RECENT MEETING
Man Utd 1-0 Birmingham, 1 Jan 2008](http://www.paklinks.com/sport2/low/football/eng_prem/7163892.stm)
Man Utd scorer: Tevez 25