Barclays Premier League
Venue: Old Trafford Date: Tuesday, 23 February 2010 Kick-off: 2000 GMT
Coverage: BBC Sport website, BBC Radio 5 Live & local radio
TEAM NEWS
**Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand is available for Tuesday’s rearranged league game against West Ham after completing a four-match ban.**Central defensive partner Nemanja Vidic is fit after a nerve problem, so the pair could start together for the first time since October.
West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola has said he might make some changes to his side, despite back-to-back wins.
Benni McCarthy remains a doubt with the knee injury he suffered on his debut.
**Manchester United **(from): Van der Sar, Kuszczak, Foster, Neville, Brown, Rafael, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evans, Evra, Fabio, Park, Anderson, Valencia, Carrick, Scholes, Fletcher, Obertan, Gibson, Rooney, Owen, Berbatov, Diouf.
Suspended: Nani (two matches)
Injured: Giggs (arm), Hargreaves (knee), O’Shea (thigh)
**West Ham **(from): Green, Stech, Spector, Faubert, Upson, Tomkins, Da Costa, Daprela, Parker, Behrami, Kovac, Collison, Noble, Diamanti, Stanislas, Cole, Mido, Ilan, Franco, McCarthy.
Doubtful: McCarthy (knee)
Injured: Boa Morte, Hines & Ilunga (all knee), Davenport (leg), Dyer & Gabbidon (both hamstring)
MATCH PREVIEW
Following the weekend wake-up call at Everton, Manchester United can ill afford another lethargic performance on their return to the Theatre of Dreams.
“Tuesday is a massive game now. We’ve been responding for a long time so I don’t expect a problem with that”
Man Utd boss Sir Alex Ferguson
It is a collector’s item when Sir Alex Ferguson admits to being well beaten, as he did on Saturday.
Ferguson might be thankful that this game has been brought forward, due to United’s Wembley date in the Carling Cup final on Sunday. Tuesday’s re-arranged fixture gives Ferguson’s side the chance to put pressure on leaders Chelsea by narrowing the gap at the top to a point.
Visitors West Ham have not won away since the opening day of the season but they enjoyed their biggest win under Gianfranco Zola at home to Hull on Saturday, clinching back-to-back league victories for the first time since March 2009.
It is also that long ago since Manchester United lost successive league games. Suffering a similar fate on Tuesday is the nightmare scenario for the defending champions.
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
• Manchester United have won their last four matches against West Ham, who had triumphed in the previous three.
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Manchester United
• United suffered their first league defeat in nine games at Everton on Saturday. It was the first time they have lost after taking the lead.
• They have not suffered back-to-back league defeats since March last year, when they lost to Liverpool and Fulham.
• United are the league’s joint leading scorers with 63 goals.
• Wayne Rooney has scored in each of the last five league games at Old Trafford, totalling eight goals.
West Ham
• The Hammers have gone 12 games without an away win since their 2-0 victory at Wolves on the opening day of the season.
• They are vying to keep three successive clean sheets for the first time since March.
• They have only earned one point after conceding the first goal this season, losing 10 times and drawing once. They last came from behind to win a league match in December 2008, beating Stoke 2-1.
LEADING GOALSCORERS
Manchester United
Rooney: 25 goals (21 league); Berbatov: 9 goals (9 league)
West Ham
Cole: 9 goals (9 league); Diamanti: 7 goals (6 league)
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Alan Wiley
Assistant referees: Andy Garratt & Dave Bryan
Fourth official: Kevin Friend
LAST LEAGUE MATCH LINE-UPS
**Man Utd **(L1-3 v Everton, a): Van der Sar; Neville, Brown, Evans, Evra, Valencia (Owen 81), Fletcher, Carrick, Park (Obertan 66), Rooney, Berbatov (Scholes 66). Subs not used: Foster, Vidic, Rafael, Gibson.
**West Ham **(W3-0 v Hull, h): Green; Faubert, Tomkins, Upson, Spector, Behrami, Parker, Kovac, Diamanti (Collison 85), Franco (Ilan 63), Cole (Mido 79). Subs not used: Stech, Noble, Da Costa, Stanislas.
MOST RECENT MEETING
West Ham 0-4 Man Utd (5 December 2009)
Manchester United scorers: Scholes 45, Gibson 61, Valencia 71, Rooney 72