Article by Mark Graham, Editor, Record Keeper & Official Reporter @ MUFCINFO.COM.

preview: Stoke City v MANCHESTER UNITED

fa premiership, Matchday 07

Brittania Stadium, Stoke, 15.00pm GMT, Saturday 26th September 2009.

Team News

Ben Foster will start in goal despite speculation on his recent form.

Ricardo Fuller (groin) is out for Stoke

Dave Kitson is expected to play as a single striker with James Beattie on the bench.

Paul Scholes returns from suspension

Pre Match Press Conference Highlights

On Stoke

“Stoke are going to be a force.  “They have a fantastic support. They say it is the noisiest in the country and I wouldn’t disagree with that.  “Last season was about survival. It is not easy for anyone coming out of the Championship.
“But I saw a marked change there. There is good ambition, they have a good managerial structure and a good chairman. “It is a club on the up.”
 

On Owen Hargreaves

"I feel it will still take us four weeks to get him into the rhythm of training again and get to the point of match play," said Ferguson.

"Normally, when a player has been out for that length of time he is helped by the fact he is doing his rehabilitation with other players.  "Because he did it on his own in the USA, under the guidance of Dr Richard Steadman, it is not easy.

"But he has the determination and resilience to see it through. He is now back with us and hopefully the boy gets a break and continues his progress without any further mishaps."  "We don't see the fact he has been out a year as a handicap," said Ferguson.

"Other players have been out a similar length of time.

"When Joe Cole came back on Wednesday you forget he was missing for nine months. It is achievable, particularly when they are young.  "He is not kicking a ball yet. The physio who attended to him over there will stay here for a week for the changeover.

"He and our physios are discussing exactly at what stage he is at but he should be into football training quite soon."

Squads

Stoke City (from): Sorensen, Simonsen, Huth, Wilkinson, Shawcross, Faye, Collins, Delap, Whitehead, Whelan, Etherington, Fuller, Beattie, Kitson, Cresswell, Cort, Higginbotham, Griffin, Lawrence, Pugh, Tuncay.

Manchester United (from): Foster, Kuszczak, Neville, O’Shea, Brown, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evans, Evra, Valencia, Anderson, Carrick, Fletcher, Gibson, Giggs, Nani, Rooney, Berbatov, Owen.

Head to Head

Milestones

89th meeting between the two sides.

73rd League meeting between the two sides.

SAF's 665th Premiership fixture in charge.

Score Prediction

1-0.

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