Man Utd are 2nd with 48 points
and their highest achievable position
after Match Day 25 is 2nd while
the lowest could be 3rd
- MANCHESTER UNITED are smarting from a rare League double against them when Blackburn dramatically won 4-3 at Ewood Park on Wednesday night in a game that saw Rio Ferdinand red carded. United are 15 points behind runaway leaders Chelsea going into this Saturday teatime fixture against the club with the weakest away form in the Premiership, Fulham. More significantly, Sir Alex Ferguson's side are only three points ahead of third placed Liverpool, who have two games in hand. The United boss will want something out of this game, to avoid the possibility of the Merseysiders leapfrogging them into the second automatic Champions League qualifying place - even though Liverpool would need all three points from the Sunday trip to Stamford Bridge to stand any chance.
- United are challenging for a fifth successive Premiership victory at the Theatre of Dreams, after seeing off Wigan 4-0, West Brom 3-0, Bolton 4-1 and Liverpool 1-0. In fact the Red Devils are looking for a seventh straight home win in League and Cup, and 16th Old Trafford game without defeat. Since losing to Blackburn on 24 September, they've have won 11 and drawn four on home turf.
- Ruud van Nistelrooy and Wayne Rooney inspired United to a thrilling 3-2 victory at Craven Cottage in October. It took the Red Devils' unbeaten run against the Cottagers to five matches - four of which were in the Premiership. They've won the last two - a third would see them 'double' Fulham for a sixth time and a second occasion in the Premiership.
- Won nine of the last 14 Premiership contests.
- Lost two of the last three top flight outings.
- The goalless draw at Arsenal on 3 January is the only occasion in 19 top flight matches they've failed to score, since the clubs' only other Premiership goalless draw at Liverpool on 18 September.
- Blackburn (twice), Middlesbrough and Manchester City are the only clubs to have beaten United in the League this season.
- Kept five clean sheets in nine Premiership matches.
- At their most dangerous in the quarter-hours before and after half-time when 17 of their 45 goals have been scored.
- Won six of the last seven highest League tussles at Old Trafford.
- Won six and drawn two home top tier contests since the solitary Old Trafford loss (1-2 to Blackburn) on 24 September.
- Lost only one of 11 home Premiership matches.
- f they participate, Edwin VAN DER SAR and Louis SAHA will be playing against their former club.
- If he figures, Christiano RONALDO will be playing on the eve of his 21st birthday.
- Ruud VAN NISTELROOY is the leading Premiership goal scorer with 21 in all competitions. He's also the top marksman in the Premiership, with 18.
- VAN NISTELROOY and Wayne ROONEY have scored 28 of United's 45 League goals.
- United boast 12 different scorers of Premiership goals this season.
- Suspended: Rio FERDINAND
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LAST SEASON'S CORRESPONDING GAME -
19 March 2005
Man Utd 1-0 Fulham |
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Fulham are 13th with 29 points
and their highest achievable position
after Match Day 25 is 11th while
the lowest could be 15th.
- FULHAM have pulled off one or two shocks against Manchester United in the past and go to Old Trafford buoyed by Tuesday's late, late victory over Spurs. But they're the only club without an away victory in the Premiership this season. Indeed 26 of their 29 League points have been accrued at Craven Cottage. Fulham will need to concentrate to the final whistle. They've conceded four League goals in stoppage time this season, and United have scored four in added time.
- The Cottagers' three points from their Premiership travels have come by way of draws at Newcastle, Charlton and West Brom. The goalless draw at the Hawthorns on 3 December was the last time they returned with anything from their top flight travels, losing subsequently at Birmingham, Chelsea, Portsmouth and West Ham.
- A bullet first-half strike from Ronaldo was the difference between the clubs in this identical fixture last March. The Cottagers have beaten United once in the Premier League. That was 1-3 at Old Trafford on 25 October 2003 when Steed Malbranque led a stunning smash and grab raid. The Frenchman scored one and made another as the Cottagers gained a maximum at the Theatre of Dreams for the only time in 43 years.
- Gained 26 more points at home than away - the widest such dichotamy in the Premiership.
- Conceded four times in stoppage time. Only Middlesbrough have shipped more after 90 top flight minutes have passed on the clock (six).
- Scored 12 goals in the first half hour of top tier matches - only Chelea and Arsenal can equal that.
- Gone 14 highest League encounters since a win by more than one goal (2-0, home to Liverpool on 22 October).
- Completed 21 top division contests since a loss by more than a solitary goal margin (4-1, away to Arsenal on 24 August).
- Won 34 of 100 Premiership games since Chris Coleman took permanent charge.
- Without a victory in 12 away matches, since defeating Blackburn 1-3 on 4 May 2005.
- If he plays, Alain GOMA will be making his 150th English League appearance (Newcastle and Fulham).
- If involved, Niclas JENSEN will be making his 50th top flight appearance (Manchester City and Fulham).
- If he lines up for the opening whistle, Moritz VOLZ will be making his 100th start for an English club.
- If he plays, Zat KNIGHT will be making his 150th club career appearance.
- If he plays, Tomasz RADZINKSI will be making his 150th career Premiership appearance (Everton and Fulham).
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| HEAD TO HEAD RESULTS |
|
Man Utd |
Draw |
Fulham |
| League |
28 |
13 |
10 |
| Premier |
5 |
3 |
1 |
|
| HEAD TO HEAD at MAN UTD |
| |
Man Utd |
Draw |
Fulham | >
| League |
20 |
3 |
2 |
| Premier |
3 |
0 |
1 |
|
|