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Old 18-12-2009, 09:47 PM   #34
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Default Re: [EPL] Fulham vs Man Utd

Fulham v Man Utd
-news.bbc.co.uk-

Barclays Premier League
Venue: Craven Cottage Date: Saturday, 19 December Kick-off: 1500 GMT
Coverage: BBC Sport website, BBC Radio 5 Live, local radio, Final Score & highlights on Match of the Day

TEAM NEWS

Fulham striker Andrew Johnson will miss the match after suffering a setback in his return from a groin injury.

Danny Murphy made his comeback from a similar problem in midweek and is expected to keep his place.

Manchester United have at least five defenders sidelined through injury, while Nemanja Vidic is struggling with a calf strain sustained on Tuesday.

Ryan Giggs, who signed a one-year contract extension on Friday, should return from a hamstring strain.

Fulham
Suspended: None Doubtful: A Johnson (groin)
Injured: Davies (ankle), Kamara (knee), Ki-Hyeon (leg)

Manchester United
Suspended: None
Doubtful: Giggs (hamstring), Vidic (calf)
Injured: Brown & Macheda (hamstring), Evans & Ferdinand (both calf), Hargreaves & Rafael (both knee), Nani (ankle), Neville (groin), O'Shea (thigh), van der Sar (knee)

MATCH PREVIEW

Manchester United picked off sheep in Wolves' clothing on Tuesday, and there's no disguising their title ambition as they seek to go level on points with leaders Chelsea.

Craven Cottage had been a happy hunting ground for United until their last visit in March. Fulham won the fixture for the first time in 45 years and Paul Scholes and Wayne Rooney were sent off for the visitors.

That was United's fourth, and final, league defeat of last season - but they have already lost as many games this campaign.

If the champions are to enjoy capital gain on Saturday, they must overcome a Fulham side that have made their best start to a season since 2003.

Roy Hodgson's team are ninth and qualified for the knockout stage of the Europa League in midweek, although the competition has not helped their domestic form. They have failed to win in six of their seven league matches immediately following a European game this season.

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

• Fulham beat Manchester United at Craven Cottage for the first time in 45 years last March. A Danny Murphy penalty and 87th-minute strike from Zoltan Gera ensured a 2-0 win, while Paul Scholes and Wayne Rooney were sent off for the visitors.

• Prior to that defeat, Manchester United had won nine successive league and cup matches against Fulham, and were unbeaten in 12 meetings (W10, D2).

Fulham

• Fulham are unbeaten in four league games. They are undefeated in six matches in all competitions (W4, D2).

• They are vying to extend their unbeaten home run to nine games in all competitions (W6, D2).

• Fulham's tally of 23 points after 16 games is their best for six years.

• The club's only win in seven league matches immediately following a Europa League match was 1-0 at home to Sunderland on 6 December (W1, D3, L3).

• Jonathan Greening, who is expected to make his 300th career league start on Saturday, will be facing a former club. He made 27 appearances for Manchester United between 1998 and 2001.

Manchester United

• United are the only team not to have dropped any points from a winning position in the Premier League this season.

• They boast the equal-best away record in the division this season, alongside Chelsea and Aston Villa, with 15 points from a possible 24.

• Wayne Rooney has scored seven goals in the last seven Premier League away matches, including four goals in the last two games.

• If Paul Scholes scores he will become the 18th player to score 100 goals in the Premier League.

LEADING GOALSCORERS

Fulham
Zamora: 9 goals (5 league); Dempsey: 6 goals (5 league)

Manchester United
Rooney: 13 goals (12 league); Owen: 7 goals (2 league)

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Howard Webb

Assistant referees: Darren Cann & Mike Mullarkey

Fourth official: Phil Crossley

LAST LEAGUE MATCH LINE-UPS

Fulham (D1-1 v Burnley, a): Schwarzer; Pantsil, Hangeland, Hughes, Konchesky, Greening, Baird, Dempsey, Duff, Nevland (Gera 77), Zamora. Subs not used: Stockdale, Murphy, Riise, Smalling, Dikgacoi, Elm.

Manchester United (W3-0 v Wolves, h): Kuszczak; De Laet, Carrick, Vidic (Fletcher 60), Evra, Valencia, Scholes, Gibson, Obertan (Welbeck 70), Berbatov, Rooney (Owen 75). Subs not used: Foster, Anderson, Park, Fabio.

MOST RECENT MEETING

Fulham 2-0 Man Utd (21 March 2009)

Fulham scorers: Murphy 18 pen, Gera 87.
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