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Wayne Rooney will be on the bench for Manchester United after missing seven matches with a hamstring injury.
Nemanja Vidic, Carlos Tevez, Michael Carrick and Dimitar Berbatov all return to the squad after missing the FA Cup win at Derby.
Fulham will give late fitness tests to Paul Konchesky and Andy Johnson, who both have muscle strains.
Dickson Etuhu is still out with a knee injury so on-loan Olivier Dacourt should continue in midfield.
Man Utd (from): Van der Sar, Foster, Kuszczak, Neville, Rafael, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evans, Evra, O'Shea, Ronaldo, Nani, Carrick, Scholes, Fletcher, Giggs, Park, Berbatov, Rooney, Tevez, Gibson, Welbeck.
Fulham (from): Schwarzer, Hughes, Konchesky, Pantsil, Hangeland, Johnson, Zamora, Nevland, Gera, Murphy, Kamara, Gray, Zuberbuhler, Stoor, Dempsey, Davies, Milsom, Brown, Kallio, Barnes, Dacourt.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/e...rem/7884148.stmMan Utd v Fulham preview» Click to show Spoiler - click again to hide... «
Manchester United will hope to open a five-point lead at the top of the table when they continue the defence of their Premier League crown against Fulham at Old Trafford.
Sir Alex Ferguson's side, as is often the case, have hit form when it matters and have the critics purring with their speed, creativity, strength in depth and ruthless nature.
Following their successful exploits in the Fifa Club World Cup, United have been playing catch up in matches and they host Fulham in their final game in hand over second-placed Liverpool and the rest of the top nine.
The bookmakers have United as strong favourites and, while Fulham - who avoided relegation on the final day last season - have surpassed many expectations in 2008/09, Roy Hodgson's men travel to Manchester facing an unenviable task.
United have not conceded a goal in the league since leaking two at Arsenal on 8th November, securing a British record of 13 games in the process, while Fulham - rock solid at Craven Cottage - have yet to win on their league travels.
Rooney return
To add to Hodgson's problems as he prepares to venture north, Ferguson has announced that striker Wayne Rooney is likely to play some part as the England international returns to the bench after a seven-game absence due to a hamstring injury.
Edwin van der Sar, who sat out the weekend's FA Cup demolition of Derby, should return in goal to face his former club and if the Dutchman can add another 10 minutes to the 1,212 he has gone without conceding in the league he will move into the top 10 of world clean-sheet records.
Dimitar Berbatov, Carlos Tevez, Nemanja Vidic and Michael Carrick should also return after missing Sunday's outing at Pride Park as Ferguson bolsters his ranks when searching for a 10th successive victory in all competitions.
Fulham are sweating on the fitness of striker Andy Johnson and Paul Konchesky as the pair both have muscle strains following the FA Cup draw at Swansea but Hodgson will be keen to name the key duo.
Meanwhile, on-loan midfielder Olivier Dacourt - who started at The Liberty Stadium - looks set to continue in the absence of Dickson Etuhu (knee).
Possible starting XIs
Man Utd: Van der Sar, Rafael, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Ronaldo, Carrick, Scholes, Giggs, Berbatov, Tevez.
Fulham: Schwarzer, Stoor, Hughes, Hangeland, Konchesky, Davies, Murphy, Dacourt, Dempsey, Johnson, Zamora
http://www.skysports.com/football/match_pr...3105175,00.htmlBerbatov desperate for title» Click to show Spoiler - click again to hide... «
Dimitar Berbatov is desperate for Manchester United to retain their Premier League title.
The Bulgarian star joined United in the summer and unlike most of the current Old Trafford playing staff is yet to win a title.
Another crown for United this term would see them equal Liverpool's record of 18 domestic championships and Berbatov is determined to help the club claim the historic milestone.
"The players here who have already won it, need it again and again and again," he said.
"I have none of that. When I am here, it is like I need it - I want it.
"With the help of everybody, with the right amount of effort on the pitch and with the team we have, I am pretty sure we can win it again."
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11661_4938519,00.htmlUnited hold no fears for Jose» Click to show Spoiler - click again to hide... «
Jose Mourinho claims Manchester United hold no fear ahead of Inter Milan's clash with the European and English champions.
A mouth-watering prospect of a tie sees United travel to Italy on Tuesday for the first leg of a last 16 UEFA Champions League tie that pits together again former sparring partners Mourinho and Sir Alex Ferguson.
The Inter man's record against his Scottish counterpart is enviable, with Mourinho's Chelsea having twice claimed the Premier League title during his three full seasons at Stamford Bridge.
"I have come up against United on several occasions and I know their style of play perfectly," said Mourinho.
"We will have time to prepare for our match against them. We do not fear Manchester United and we know we can beat them.
"That is despite recognising that they are a strong side with lots of qualities.
Primed
"Come the day of the game we will be ready for United. I haven't decided whether we will play in the same manner as we did against Milan, as United have a style of play that is all their own."
Sunday's 2-1 win over neighbours AC Milan took Inter nine points clear at the Serie A summit and with United also flying, Mourinho anticipates an intriguing tie to ensue.
"The most beautiful matches to play are those against big sides, and in this moment United are at the top. They are a special team with special players.
"They have a lot of talent either on the field or on the bench, but my Inter have experience and quality.
"We know how to face big matches. And, especially, we know how to win them."
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11661_4938310,00.htmlFocus on... Gary Neville» Click to show Spoiler - click again to hide... «
There can have been few more reassuring sights for United supporters than the return to fitness and form of Gary Neville. He endured a nightmare run of injuries that some feared could have cut short the career of one of the Reds' finest servants.
Now, at the business end of the season, Neville is preparing to put his considerable experience behind the trophy charge – and former United full-back Arthur Albiston is glad to see him back to his best.
“He’s priceless,” says Albiston. “He has been struggling with injuries for the past 18 months, but his experience will be crucial. And the great thing is he’s finding his form with half the season still to go.”
Albiston himself made almost 500 appearances for United and he believes that despite his recent problems, Neville still has much to offer at Old Trafford.
“The problem is as you get older, you pick up more little niggles, and these can lead to frustrating injuries,” he says. “I’ve seen him play in the Reserves, but what he really needed was to get a run of first-team games under his belt.
“You can’t get the sharpness you need in the Reserves, you need to be out there playing in front of 75,000 people in a match that really matters. Against Chelsea, I thought he showed signs that he was getting back to somewhere near his best.”
Of late, Sir Alex has been alternating between Neville and teenage sensation Rafael when filling the right-back berth. But the skipper has shown over the past 17 years there is often no substitute for experience, and he’s been given the nod for the bigger matches.
“He knows better than anyone that there’s competition for places,” Albiston says. “Rafael has been sensational, but Gary gives you something different – he’s the kind of player who can get the best out of those around him. He’s a tough character and a vocal presence in the back four.”
“When nerves become frayed as the season draws to a close, he’s going to be invaluable. Gary has seen off quite a few players [competing to be right-back] and, although Rafael is incredibly talented, the skipper won’t give up a place without a fight.”
And Albiston reckons that Neville can carry on playing well beyond this season, adding: “Although it’s too soon to talk of him making an England return, he’ll want to prolong his career for as long as possible – he still has a few more years left in him.”
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Seasoned Red
Gary's appearance record season by season:
08/09 - Starts: 20 (4 as sub)
07/08 - Starts: 0 (1 as sub)
06/07 - Starts: 33
05/06 - Starts: 34 (3 as sub)
04/05 - Starts: 35
03/04 - Starts: 42
02/03 - Starts: 35 (9 as sub)
01/02 - Starts: 48 (3 as sub)
00/01 - Starts: 49
99/00 - Starts: 35
98/99 - Starts: 54
97/98 - Starts: 44 (1 as sub)
96/97 - Starts: 44 (2 as sub)
95/96 - Starts: 37 (2 as sub)
94/95 - Starts: 23 (4 as sub)
93/94 - Starts: 1 (1 as sub)
92/93 - Starts: 0 (1 as sub)
http://www.manutd.com/default.sps?pagegid=...&newsid=6627274Murphy out to spoil the party» Click to show Spoiler - click again to hide... «
Danny Murphy has on many occasions been a thorn in United’s side down the years. So, as the Reds look to go five points clear at the Premier League’s summit, the ex-Liverpool midfielder hopes to do his old club a favour when Fulham visit Old Trafford tonight.
The 31-year-old midfielder, a boyhood Liverpool fan, scored the winner three times at Old Trafford during seven years as a player at Anfield. All three matches – in December 2000, January 2002, and April 2004 – ended 1-0 to Liverpool.
The Fulham team tonight will turn to Murphy for guidance as club captain and an experienced old head, and he says he’ll be preaching calm.
“We won’t change just because we're playing United,” he told United Review ahead of the game. “I tend to try to make sure the lads are calm and ready in the dressing room before the game. It’s going to be a different atmosphere to what some of the lads have experienced before.
“We have a new-ish squad and some of them may not have experienced anything like it before, so we’ve got to make sure they don’t get carried away with it. After all, it’s just another game with three points at stake.”
It’s three points on the road that have proved so elusive for Roy Hodgson’s men this season. In 12 matches away from Craven Cottage, they’ve won none, drawn six and lost six.
And although Murphy says he’ll do all he can to aid Liverpool's cause, he says his former club must concentrate on their own form. “A win against United any time is worth celebrating, but Liverpool will be focused on themselves rather than worrying what other teams do against United.”
http://www.manutd.com/default.sps?pagegid=...&newsid=6627228This post has been edited by alien2003: Feb 18 2009, 07:41 PM 
Feb 15 2009, 12:38 AM
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Scholes & Carrick's vision in the middle of the park will help to break down the stubborn FUL defense 
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