Man Utd v West Ham United FC

Manchester United will be hoping to rid themselves of a 'bad habit' when they look to maintain their lead at the top of the Premier League against West Ham United.

Goalkeeper Anders Lindegaard expressed his concern at United's penchant for falling behind in games this season after Saturday's 3-1 win over Queens Park Rangers saw Jamie Mackie put the division's bottom club in front.

A three-goal blitz in the space of eight minutes secured a 10th league win of the campaign for United, but it was the ninth time this season in all competitions that Sir Alex Ferguson's side have come from behind to win.

Indeed, the last time the Red Devils met West Ham, they overturned a 2-0 half-time deficit to run out 4-2 victors at Upton Park thanks to Wayne Rooney's hat-trick.

Rooney boasts an impressive record of seven goals in his last four games against the Hammers, while strike partner Robin van Persie has scored four goals in his last four starts against the London club.

United also have Javier Hernandez in form, with eight goals in eight games, as the leaders chase an eighth successive Premier League win over the Hammers.

Sam Allardyce's side missed the chance to climb up to fifth after losing 3-1 at Tottenham on Sunday, but it has still been a commendable return to the top flight for the club.

Andy Carroll scored his first goal for West Ham at the weekend and he will be trying to unsettle a United defence that has kept only two clean sheets in the Premier League this season.

Man Utd

v

West Ham

Last Six Games

Man Utd	West Ham
Man Utd 3 QPR 1	Squirts 3 West Ham 1
Galatasaray 1 Man Utd 0	West Ham 1    [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] Stoke City 1
Norwich 1 Man Utd 0	Newcastle 0 West Ham 1
A Villa 2 Man Utd 3	West Ham 0 Man City 0
Braga 1 Man Utd 3	Wigan 2 West Ham 1
Man Utd 2 Arsenal 1	West Ham 4 Southampton 1

Man Utd
Paul Scholes will miss the game as the veteran midfielder is suspended after picking up his fifth booking of the season at the weekend and his place goes to Anderson, who impressed as a second-half substitute against QPR.

Antonio Valencia (hip) has an outside chance of being fit for the leaders, but fellow winger Nani remains sidelined with a hamstring problem.

Chris Smalling and Phil Jones are available after being unused substitutes against QPR, while David de Gea was also on the bench for the 3-1 win after a recent problem with his wisdom teeth.

West Ham United FC
Midfielder Mark Noble is suspended for West Ham's trip to Old Trafford after accumulating five yellow cards.

Left-back George McCartney is a doubt after suffering an ankle injury against Tottenham and midfielder Yossi Benayoun is still not available as he looks to overcome a thigh problem.

Midfielder Jack Collison (knee) and forward Ricardo Vaz Te (shoulder) are also ruled out.

After Sunday, anything better than losing by three clear goals will be an achievment in my book. A clean sheet and a point would be miraculous. Had the chance of a ticket for this - albeit in with the ManU support - but just couldn't face it, I'm afraid. Just got to hope that the gods of football will punish me for my lack of faith......

SemiOldIron wrote:Had the chance of a ticket for this - albeit in with the ManU support - but just couldn't face it, I'm afraid.

Ditto

We're gonna get battered if we try the same there as we did at the lane. Could be double figures.

Blakey wrote:

SemiOldIron wrote:Had the chance of a ticket for this - albeit in with the ManU support - but just couldn't face it, I'm afraid.

Ditto

We're gonna get battered if we try the same there as we did at the lane. Could be double figures.

Do you mean passing the ball to the opposition, not closing down, shooting wildly off target and failing to deliver quality balls into the opponent's box?

Yeah. Could be carnage !!

Need to at least show some improvement in this one ... any improvement would be good, cheats and the bindippers to follow we need performances even if we are not picking up a lot of points

If i was BFS i would just set the team out to attack right from the start as we have nothing lose and I dont know about you lot but I would rather we go out and Attack Utd from the start and lose then sit back etc and lose !
I would go with : 4-5-1/4-3-3
Jussi
Demel
Collins
Reid
McCartney
Jarvis
O`Neil
Nolan
Diame
Taylor
Carroll

............. Jussi................
Demel...Collins...Reid...McCartney.
....O`Neil....Diame....Nolan.......
.....Jarvis...Carroll...Taylor.....

[quote="Arran H"]If i was BFS i would just set the team out to attack right from the start as we have nothing lose and I dont know about you lot but I would rather we go out and Attack Utd from the start and lose then sit back etc and lose !
quote]
Well, Arran. personally I reckon BFS will do the exact opposite - he''ll set out to try to stop them scoring for as long as possible and just hope for a miracle at the other end. Carroll is likely to have a long, lonely and frustrating evening IMO.

I would no go all out attack , we would be on the end of a right hiding.. we need to keep confidence up by not getting smacked around the park over the next month
then when the easier games come up we should be in a good position to take more advantage

and stupid

McCartney will not be fit

We're so dead..

Got to agree guys.

We are going to get killed.

Campo wrote:I would no go all out attack , we would be on the end of a right hiding.. we need to keep confidence up by not getting smacked around the park over the next month
then when the easier games come up we should be in a good position to take more advantage

Not going to be easy viewing.

Think this could end up as West Hams 'black week'

I have a bad feeling about this...

So we all going for a score draw then ?

A win or draw wouldn't surprise me.

Because nothing ever does!

We,re gonna get tonked tonight

I think we'll be lucky to get 0

Hmmm. 4-0 is only 11/1

Tony P wrote:

Blakey wrote:

SemiOldIron wrote:Had the chance of a ticket for this - albeit in with the ManU support - but just couldn't face it, I'm afraid.

Ditto

We're gonna get battered if we try the same there as we did at the lane. Could be double figures.

Do you mean passing the ball to the opposition, not closing down, shooting wildly off target and failing to deliver quality balls into the opponent's box?

Yeah. Could be carnage !!

Yep, all that.

Also, Van Persil hasn't scored for 3 weeks. Odds on for a hatrick.

On the plus side, Scoles is suspended, reduces the chances of an injury by 90%.

However, it also reduces the chances of one of theirs getting sent off...............................Hang on, it's at Old Toilet, what AM I thinking, sent off, yeah right.

If we keep it below 5 shipped, I'll be happy.

Now where did I put my Mindless Optimism pills??

Oh yeah, last time I took them I got convinced I wouldn't be needing them any more.......

Watching the game with my mate who`s Man Utd so guna have to prepare myself for the crap and abuse Iam going get tonight

Think we are going to be in for a long night tonight can see Utd putting at least 4 or 5 past us today just have feeling tho I hope Iam wrong

Also just hope that Our supporters do the club proud tonight and show the rest of the world we are a decent set of fans !!!!!!!