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Premier League Preview: Manchester United - Blackburn Rovers

Home tie against struggling Rovers is ideal tonic for the champions…

Oct 30, 2009 5:34:57 PM

EPL: Michael Owen, Manchester United v Bolton Wanderers (Getty Images)

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EPL: Michael Owen, Manchester United v Bolton Wanderers (Getty Images)

Teams

Saturday, October 31, Kick-off: 17:30 GMT
Old Trafford, Manchester

After three away games in a row, including a long trip to Moscow, the Premier League champions return home to the Theatre of Dreams. Sir Alex Ferguson's side will be happy to be back on familiar ground, especially in the wake of last Sunday's painful loss to local rivals Liverpool.

No disrespect to Blackburn Rovers, but United could hardly ask for a more attractive fixture as they look to bounce back from the defeat at Anfield.

Blackburn's recent away form in the league is appalling – they have lost their last ten matches on the road, a run that goes back to March 2009. And with 11 goals conceded in their last two away games, albeit against London powerhouses Chelsea and Arsenal, Rovers' travel sickness could also be just the tonic for United.

Speaking of sickness, Rovers have been affected by the swine flu virus this week, with striker Jason Roberts the latest reported victim. Manager Sam Allardyce also displayed symptoms and so avoided contact with his players.

If that wasn't enough, Rovers' record at Old Trafford is very poor – just one win in the history of the Premier League, recorded in 2005.

If none of the statistics bodes well for the visitors, Sam Allardyce's side can at least take some comfort in the fact that United's defence looks surprisingly fragile right now. Away teams found it very difficult to beat Edwin van der Sar in the 2008-09 campaign, but this time around United have kept only one clean sheet in five home matches. And with first-choice centre-backs Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand both struggling to recover from calf injuries, Blackburn will at least hope to make a game of it.

FORM GUIDE

Man Utd

Oct 27: Barnsley 0-2 Man Utd (League Cup)
Oct 25: Liverpool 2-0 Man Utd (Premier League)
Oct 21: CSKA Moscow 0-1 Man Utd (Champions League)
Oct 17: Man Utd 2-1 Bolton (Premier League)
Oct 3: Man Utd 2-2 Sunderland (Premier League)

Blackburn

Oct 27: Blackburn 5-2 Peterborough (League Cup)
Oct 24: Chelsea 5-0 Blackburn (Premier League)
Oct 18: Blackburn 3-2 Burnley (Premier League)
Oct 4: Arsenal 6-2 Blackburn (Premier League)
Sep 26: Blackburn 2-1 Aston Villa (Premier League)

TEAM NEWS

Man Utd

First-choice centre-backs Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand are both struggling to recover from calf injuries, while Gary Neville is suspended.

Danny Welbeck and Park Ji-Sung are both sidelined with knee injuries.

Last starting XI in Premier League (v Liverpool): Van der Sar, O'Shea, Vidic, Ferdinand, Evra, Giggs, Carrick, Scholes, Valencia, Rooney, Berbatov.

Blackburn

The club has been hit by the swine flu virus – striker Jason Roberts is unwell and won't feature at Old Trafford, but key defender Chris Samba is over the illness and should play.

Pascal Chimbonda has recovered from a calf strain.

Last starting XI in Premier League (v Chelsea): Robinson, Jacobsen, Givet, Nelsen, Olsson, Emerton, Pedersen, Nzonzi, Andrews, Roberts, Diouf.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Man Utd - Jonny Evans

With Vidic and Ferdinand both injury doubts, it's likely that Evans will get another chance to make his case to be one of United's first-choice centre-backs. Sir Alex Ferguson has admitted that it's getting increasingly difficult to leave out the impressive Northern Ireland international, and a good performance on Saturday would put even more pressure on the under-fire Ferdinand.

Blackburn - David Dunn

Dunn was knocked sideways by the H1N1 virus earlier in the week, but he has recovered well and even made a cameo appearance in Rovers' 5-2 win over Peterborough in the League Cup on Tuesday. The English playmaker is having his best season in years and has the ability to give United's makeshift defence problems.

PREDICTION

Manchester United 3-1 Blackburn