The Stoke City manager Tony Pulis has stated that his team can collect points and even win the match against Manchester United in the lunchtime encounter on Sunday. Ever since Stoke City have been in the Premier League, since the 2008/09 season, they have never collected a point against the Red Devils in the four games played. Stoke have not even scored a goal against Manchester United in the Premier League. The matches were played on November 15th 2008 (Man Utd 5 – 0 Stoke), December 26th 2008 (Stoke 0 – 1 Man Utd), September 26th 2009 (Stoke 0 – 2 Man Utd) and May 9th 2010 (Man Utd 4 – 0 Stoke). This means that in the past two years, Stoke have conceded 12 goals against United and failed to score a single goal.
Stoke currently rank 10th in the Premier League table with 10 points, four less than United’s (5th place) 14 points. United have been somewhat disappointing away from home this season, and the media spotlight being continuously on the team recently with the Rooney saga, which has now been clarified after Wayne signed a new contract, was said to be disrupting the squad harmony. Despite Rooney’s drop in form, Manchester United have still found goals this season as Berbatov has re-discovered his goalscoring form, scoring 6 in 8 appearances. One key absentee for Stoke is Dean Whitehead, but United also have an important player missing about which much was said lately, Wayne Rooney. Chicharito and Berbatov are expected to start up front. The full expected line-up is goalkeeper Van der Sar, full-back Rafael and Evra, central defence partners Ferdinand and Vidic, Flether and Nani on the wings, Carrick and Scholes in the centre of midfield, and striking pair Berbatov and Hernandez.
Prediction: In this match we are expecting Manchester United to register their first away win this season. United should be able to put two goals or more past opposition goalkeeper Sorensen.
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