West Ham v Man Utd preview

Friday, April 1, 2011

Scott Parker West Ham United Premier League
Parker: Expected to shrug off injuries for the Hammers
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Form guide:
West Ham: WLDWWD
Man Utd: LWWLLW

Injuries:
West Ham: Jack Collison
Man Utd: John O'Shea, Rio Ferdinand, Rafael, Anderson, Owen Hargreaves

Suspensions:
Man Utd: Jonny Evans, Paul Scholes

Sky Bet odds: West Ham 7/2 Draw 5/2 Man Utd 4/5

Opta stat: Javier Hernandez has scored 10 goals from just 14 shots on target and four headed goals from just five headers on target.

Bet on Saturday's match

LIVE ON SKY SPORTS
West Ham v Man Utd
12.30pm, Sat, Sky Sports HD2, Sky Sports 2 and online with Sky Player
Manchester United will be aiming to apply the early weekend pressure in the Premier League title race against a West Ham United side in need of the points in their bid for survival.
The current leaders can boast an enviable recent record against Saturday's opponents after winning the last five Premier League meetings without conceding a goal.
However, West Ham were the first team to inflict defeat on the Red Devils this season following a 4-0 victory at Upton Park in the Carling Cup quarter-finals in November.
The Hammers ultimately lost to Birmingham City in the semi-finals, but have been in encouraging form of late following just one defeat in six league games.
That sequence has lifted Avram Grant's side out of the relegation zone and has been aided by the return to fitness of Thomas Hitzlsperger.
The Germany international has formed an impressive midfield triumvirate with Scott Parker and Mark Noble, while the goals of January recruit Demba Ba have also reinvigorated West Ham.
The Red Devils' bid for a record-breaking 19th title, meanwhile, has stuttered in recent weeks on the back of three defeats in six matches and the trip to Upton Park will be a fifth away game out of seven.
Upton Park has been a graveyard for United's title hopes in the past, most famously in 1995 when the Hammers held Sir Alex Ferguson's side to a 1-1 draw as Blackburn Rovers hung on to win the league.
With a five-point cushion over Arsenal, and a nine-point advantage over reigning champions Chelsea, albeit having played a game more than both clubs, Ferguson will want his team to pick up a win at West Ham to put his team's title rivals under pressure.

Team news

Hammers boss Grant has more options to choose from than for some time and both Frederic Piquionne and Robbie Keane are available for the game.
Piquionne missed the 0-0 draw at Tottenham Hotspur last time due to a foot injury, but the international break has allowed the striker to return to fitness.
Keane missed over a month with a thigh problem but, having made a brief substitute's appearance against Stoke City in the FA Cup, the on-loan forward had to sit out against parent club Spurs before playing for the Republic of Ireland last weekend.
Influential midfielder Parker picked up shoulder and calf injuries on England duty, but he is expected to be fit to start on Saturday.
The visitors continue to experience defensive problems ahead of the journey to the capital, although captain Nemanja Vidic should be fit to start.
Vidic has recently been sidelined with a calf injury, but played for Serbia in midweek and should partner the improving Chris Smalling at centre-half.
Jonny Evans is suspended after being sent off in the 1-0 win over Bolton last time, while Rio Ferdinand, John O'Shea and Rafael are all injured.
Paul Scholes serves the second game of a suspension for accruing 10 yellow cards this season, but Darren Fletcher could return after almost a month out, and the likes of Antonio Valencia and Park Ji-sung are available.
Dimitar Berbatov could also earn a recall to the starting line-up after coming off the bench to score the winner against Bolton, while Wayne Rooney was excused from England's friendly draw with Ghana on Tuesday.
Possible starting XIs
West Ham: Green, Jacobsen, Da Costa, Upson, Bridge, Noble, Parker, Hitzlsperger, O'Neil, Ba, Piquionne.
Man Utd: Van der Sar, Brown, Smalling, Vidic, Evra, Valencia, Carrick, Giggs, Nani, Rooney, Berbatov.

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