Man Utd 2-0 Stoke Official Match Thread

NO WUMMING OR OFFTOPIC COMMENTS

Kissing Cameras Stats

Manchester United have opened the scoring in the 27th minute in each of their last three Premier League meetings with Stoke City.

Anders Lindegaard has the best saves to shots ratio in the Premier League, keeping out 82% of on target efforts faced.

Stoke have posted the worst shooting accuracy figures in the top division, hitting the target with just 34% of their attempts.

Ryan Giggs has the best minutes per assist rate in the Premier League this season (108).

Stoke City have won five penalties this season, the same number as in the previous two Premier League campaigns put together.

Stoke have conceded the highest percentage of first half goals in the top flight this season (55%).

The Potters have conceded a higher percentage of goals from outside the box than any other top flight club (27%).

47% of Stoke’s attempts and 57% of their goals overall come from set pieces, both league-high proportions.

Only David Silva (12) has more goal assists than Antonio Valencia (eight) this season.

Manchester United have scored with 19.6% of their shots at goals, second only to Manchester City who have netted with 19.9%.

Top Scorers: Man Utd (Stolen from Batmanu's Match Threads )

Wayne Rooney - 17
Danny Welbeck - 9
Nani - 8
Dimitar Berbatov - 8

Stoke

Peter Crouch - 8
Jon Walters - 8
Cameron Jerome - 6
Kenwyne Jones - 6


GOALS

N/A

Team News & Manager Quotes: Man Utd

Amos,
Smalling, Ferdinand, Evans, Evra,
Valencia, Carrick, Scholes, Park,
Hernandez, Berbatov.

SUBS: Kuszczack, Giggs, Welbeck, Fabio, Rafael, Pogba, W. Keane

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson rates Rio Ferdinand as the most likely of his injured stars to be available. Ferdinand was on the bench at Liverpool on Saturday despite having had only one training session prior to the Anfield defeat following a back problem. Wayne Rooney and Phil Jones (both ankle) may come into contention but Nani (foot) will miss out.

Sir Alex Ferguson: "You know what Tony Pulis's team will be like, they are the same all the time," said Ferguson. "They will be 100% committed and they always get stuck in. You have to cope with that. To be honest, I always enjoy it too. It was like when we used to play Wimbledon. No-one used to look forward to playing against them but my team started to because it was a physical challenge and in terms of taking the ball and playing football. Stoke are a different team altogether but they still have the same qualities of never giving in, so it is always a good challenge for us."

Stoke

Sorensen, Wilkinson, Shawcross, Huth, Wilson,
Pennant, Whitehead, Palacios, Walters,
Jones, Crouch

Matthew Etherington is a doubt for Stoke after suffering a groin injury in the FA Cup win over Derby. Mamady Sidibe (knee) is a long-term absentee but apart from those, manager Tony Pulis has virtually a full squad to choose from. Jermaine Pennant may start after coming off the bench against Derby to inspire the victory.

Tony Pulis: "I looked at their (FA Cup) game a little before ours and there was no Rooney, Nani, Anderson, Carrick, Jones and everybody else, so it's going to be a tough game. We know how difficult that game will be. They've just got knocked out of the FA Cup, and I'm sure Sir Alex will be absolutely focused on winning the Premier League."

LIVE THREAD!

http://www.ja606.co.uk/articles/viewLiveArticle/81839

LINKS!

http://www.firstrowsports.tv/
http://www.sportlemon.tv/c-1.html
http://www.vipbox.tv/sports/football.html

Kissing Cameras Prediction!

3-0

Your predictions?