STOKE VS MAN U

STOKE (4-5-1)

BEGOVIC, CAMERON, SHAWCROSS, WILSON, PIETERS, WALTERS, ADAM, GUIDETTI, IRELAND, ARNAUTOVIC, CROUCH

UNITED (4-2-3-1)

VAN PERSIE, ROONEY, MATA, VALENCIA, CLEVERLEY, JONES, EVRA, EVANS, SMALLING, RAFAEL, DE GEAUNIT Manchester United have won two of their last three Barclays Premier League games, including Tuesday night’s 2-0 Old Trafford victory over Cardiff where Robin van Persie scored within six minutes of his first game back since December 10.

The Dutchman has scored 11 goals in 17 games in all competitions for United so far and, against Hull, was joined by PS37-million debutant Juan Mata, while Wayne Rooney also came off the bench for his first appearance since New Year’s Day.

Now manager David Moyes takes United to the Britannia Stadium and a Stoke side led by a former United favourite, Mark Hughes, who spent 13 years at Old Trafford in two spells between 1980 and 1995.

Hughes took over at Stoke in the summer and has experienced a difficult start. On Wednesday, Stoke went to Sunderland and lost 1-0 while Steven Nzonzi was sent-off and will miss this game.

Stoke will be aware of their poor record against United; they last beat them in the League Cup in September 1993, while their most recent victory against the Reds came back in March 1983 in the old First Division.