Afternoon folks! At Old Trafford today Man United welcome West Ham and they have top spot very much in their sights because of what is happening at the Britannia right now!

Before I bring you the team news for this match, let me just tell you what's happening in the Potteries - Stoke are beating league leaders Man City 2-0 with an hour gone. Both goals came in the first half from Marko Arnautovic and if you want to follow the remainder then open this link in a new tab. If it stays like that, great news for Man United fans!

MAN UNITED XI: De Gea; Darmian, McNair, Smalling, Blind; Schneiderlin, Schweinsteiger; Mata, Fellaini, Lingard; Martial

WEST HAM XI: Adrian; Tomkins, Reid, Ogbonna, Cresswell; Song, Noble, Kouyate; Moses, Zarate; Carroll

Righty ho, what have we got then? Starting with the hosts, Louis van Gaal makes three changes to the side that drew 1-1 at Leicester in last week's top-of-the-table encounter. Out go Michael Carrick, Ashley Young and Wayne Rooney, with Morgan Schneiderlin, Marouane Fellaini and Jesse Lingard coming in.

As for the Hammers, Slaven Bilic has made four alterations to his lineup - in come James Tomkins, Mark Noble, Alex Song and Andy Carroll. Carl Jenkinson, Pedro Obiang, Manuel Lanzini and Diafra Sakho drop out.

MAN UNITED SUBS: Romero, Borthwick-Jackson, Varela, Carrick, Pereira, Young, Memphis

WEST HAM SUBS: Randolph, Jenkinson, Collins, Obiang, Oxford, Antonio, Jelavic

Perhaps a little surprising to see Memphis on the bench for United. Lingard is preferred wide on the left, while Fellaini will play just behind Martial in the advanced-midfield position. No Lanzini for West Ham today, which is a big blow. You feel that Andy Carroll needs a big game if the visitors are to get anything, and the big striker will be licking his lips at the prospect of testing young Paddy McNair in the hosts' defence.

He's a teenager no more! Happy 20th Birthday Monsieur 🎂🎂

Anthony Martial starts for #mufc on his birthday. pic.twitter.com/z15pwpBPRK — Manchester United (@ManUtd) December 5, 2015

With both of these teams out of the Capital One Cup, neither has had a midweek game and they will be feeling fresh having had a week off. Last weekend both managed 1-1 draws, with United getting a point at then-league leaders Leicester - the famous Jamie Vardy match - while West Ham were pegged back at home against West Brom.

Looking at overall form, United have managed just three wins in their last nine games in all competitions, while West Ham are without a win in four games. Both teams have been far from their best in recent weeks, so today's match offers them the chance to reignite their season.

Lanzini had done a decent job in recent weeks trying to fill the void left by the injured Dimitri Payet, but he is also missing today with a slight knock. Doesn't sound too serious. Victor Moses and Mauro Zarate will have to provide the creative sparks this afternoon.

LANZINI: Manuel Lanzini misses today's #BPL fixture at @ManUtd after picking up a knock in training on Friday #WHUFC pic.twitter.com/xgOOpLbwWt — West Ham United FC (@whufc_official) December 5, 2015

Speaking of Zarate, he has scored in three of his four Premier League starts for West Ham this season, including a wonderful free kick which opened the scoring against West Brom last Sunday.

Fancy a pre-match listen? Here's our mini-podcast from earlier this week when I spoke to my colleague Liam Apicella about this match and we made our predictions:

Back to United and although many supporters are not happy with their style of play under Louis van Gaal, one thing that they have been is good at home in the Premier League - they've won 18 of their last 24 league games at Old Trafford.

H2H: It has been well over eight years since West Ham last won at Old Trafford, with Carlos Tevez securing a 1-0 win which ultimately kept them in the Premier League on the final day of the 2006-07 season. Since then, the Irons have won just two of the 17 meetings in all competitions, with the Red Devils winning six of the last nine clashes.

The Hammers have lost seven in a row in the league at Old Trafford, including a 2-1 defeat in September last year. The last contest between the two, though, was a draw as Daley Blind rescued a point for the Red Devils in February.

What a result for Stoke and it means that United will go top this afternoon if they better Leicester's result against Swansea.

🌬 🌬 🌬 Stoke blow Man City away at the Britannia: https://t.co/0Wt5giD5Dt pic.twitter.com/gUdLkLxBKI

— Sports Mole (@SportsMole) December 5, 2015

Looking at the upcoming fixtures for all of the top teams, it's really not hard to imagine that United will be top come Christmas. Even though they have largely unimpressed with their style of football this season, Van Gaal's side follow today's game with matches against two of the promoted teams - Bournemouth (A), Norwich (H) - before Christmas.

Away from the Premier League, United have a huge game on Tuesday away at Wolfsburg in the Champions League. If they don't beat the Germans then it opens the door for PSV to take the other last-16 place. Defeat would mean PSV only need a draw at home to CSKA Moscow, while a draw for United would mean the Dutch side have to win. It's certainly not guaranteed!

Moving on to West Ham, they have had some memorable away days this season, winning four of their first five games on the road, including the first three at Arsenal, Liverpool and Man City. However, they have lost the last two at Watford (2-0) and Tottenham (4-1), conceding six goals and scoring only one.

PREDICTION: Right then, 10 minutes until we get underway so I best make my pre-match prediction. Given United's strong record at home under LVG and the fact that West Ham have dropped off in recent weeks, it's going to have to be a home win. With Payet, Sakho, Valencia and Lanzini missing, I can't see West Ham scoring, so I'm going for a 2-0 United win.

This is one of six Premier League 3pm kickoffs and if you want to follow any other games then you can easily get to them by having a quick click around. In a new tab, mind. Don't leave me!

STAT: This backs up my prediction that the Hammers might struggle to find the net today - On their 19 Premier League visits to Old Trafford, West Ham have scored just 10 goals in total and have never scored more than one in a game.

Lovely stuff:

SLO MO: @mau_zeta finds the bottom corner with a fine finish #MNUWHU #WHUFC #COYI pic.twitter.com/PDRyO9ScAL

— West Ham United FC (@whufc_official) December 5, 2015

We're almost ready to go at Old Trafford. I think that this game will be won and lost in midfield. Bilic has started three combative players in Noble, Kouyate and Song and you get the feeling that he would take a goalless draw today. Carroll could be very isolated in attack.

KICKOFF! Aaaand we're off at the Theatre of Dreams! West Ham in their lovely all-light blue away kit today.

Tomkins has come in for Jenkinson at right-back for West Ham and he's made a good start, sliding in to nick the ball away from birthday boy Martial after the Frenchman had made his way into the area.

First shot of the game comes from McNair as the ball breaks to him on the edge of the box and he goes for goal. It was always a tough chance and he slices it high and wide. Back to defence please laddy.

Hmmmmm. We thought that McNair would be centre-back alongside Smalling, but he's actually at right-back. Darmian's over on the left, so Blind partners Smalling. Is that because Van Gaal thought that Carroll would bully McNair? Interesting.

Fellaini, on what is just his second league start of the season, goes for goal after surging forward from midfield but drags his shot wide. No problems for Adrian.

First chance for West Ham to test the United defence as Lanzini swings over a free kick that De Gea punches clear. The home side streak down the other end through Lingard and he finds Darmian, but the Italian's cross is wayward when Mata was unmarked at the back post.

UPDATE: First Premier League goal of the day comes from Leicester, so they are top in the live table. No, it's not Jamie Vardy, but his partner in crime Riyad Mahrez who puts the Foxes in front.

Fellaini heads over from McNair's cross and wants a corner. You can see why watching the replay, but the referee, who is Mark Clattenburg, points for a goal kick.

PIC: @Fellaini's been in the thick of the action so far and has just flashed a header over the bar. #mufc pic.twitter.com/49uiMCUsFD — Manchester United (@ManUtd) December 5, 2015

SAVE! Huge chance for West Ham to take the lead, but De Gea comes to Man Utd's rescue! Blind gave the ball away on the halfway line and Noble threaded it through to Moses, who could only fire straight at the Spaniard. What a chance and you feel that West Ham won't get many better than that.

Excellent defending from Reid as he marshals Martial (sorry) away from goal when it looked like the Frenchman would be able to get a shot off.

It's a big day for Martial, not only because he turns 20, but also because he has a great chance to break his scoring drought. With Rooney out of the team, the youngster is the focal point in attack and will be hoping to score his first league goal since the brace against Southampton over two months ago.

CHANCE! And right on cue, Martial goes close to the opener. Fellaini nodded the ball into his path and his quick shot on the turn was brilliantly blocked by Reid. Two superb pieces of defending from the Hammers defender to deny Martial in the last couple of minutes.

Patient build-up from the home side as the ball is worked out to Lingard down the left. His low cross is dealt with by Reid, who is having a stormer so far.

OFF THE POST! So close to a West Ham goal! It's great wing play from Cresswell as he works a yard of space before firing in a low cross that De Gea spills. Zarate is lurking and either he or Smalling hits the ball against the upright.

OFF THE POST! And again!!! The Hammers win a corner and it's Reid who gets up to head the ball, directing his header towards the bottom corner and he's so unlucky to see it come back off the post. Poor West Ham, they've deserved a goal here.

Watching a replay of that first chance, Smalling tried to hook the ball clear and in fact hit Zarate in the face and the ball cannoned off the West Ham man and against the post. It's a miracle United aren't behind.

I said beforehand that it seemed West Ham had lost their midas touch from earlier this season on the road, but it looks like I was wrong. They are playing like they did when they beat Arsenal, Liverpool and Man City a few months back.

UPDATE: Mahrez has doubled Leicester's lead at the Liberty Stadium, so they seem set to return to the top of the table (?!#!!?#), while at The Hawthorns Spurs lead West Brom. Dele Alli with the goal.

I've got both Mahrez and Alli in my fantasy team by the way 😆😆

The West Ham fans love that! Carroll thumps the ball down the left and chases it down. Smalling is easily getting there first, but Carroll doesn't give it up and slides in to win it back. Great determination from the big man.

So far today, Reid has won the battle with Martial. The Hammers defender has been awesome.

© Getty Images

UPDATE: Arsenal lead Sunderland through Joel Campbell. If you've got Ozil in your fantasy team then yes, he did get the assist. Of course he did, the generous German.

Oh West Ham, poor West Ham. They've already got several forward-thinking players out and now Moses is going to have to be subbed off with an injury.

WEST HAM SUB: Michail Antonio is Moses's replacement and what a chance for him to impress on just his third Premier League appearance for the Hammers.

Man Utd want a penalty as Fellaini tumbles in the area after West Ham failed to clear a corner. Clattenburg isn't interested, but the hosts certainly have a case as Reid seemed to bundle over the Belgian. It all came after Ogbonna caused confusion at the back and the visitors gave away a needless corner.

Almost a breakaway goal for West Ham as they surge forward with Antonio after dealing with a Mata free kick at the other end. The substitute had plenty of support but couldn't find a teammate as McNair made a key interception. A few moments earlier, Clattenburg had a word with Schweinsteiger after the German appeared to hit Reid in the throat with his forearm as the two jostled for position at the free kick. Schweini maybe a bit lucky not to get any punishment there.

MAN UNITED SUB: Shortly before half time and United are also forced into a change as Schneiderlin gingerly hobbles off to be replaced by Carrick in midfield. That's one change apiece now.

UPDATE: Goals elsewhere - Sunderland have equalised against Arsenal, while Aston Villa lead at Southampton! Big surprise there.

Two minutes added on at the end of the first half and West Ham will certainly wonder how they haven't scored if it stays like this at the interval.

No goals at Old Trafford, then, but it's been an entertaining half of football. Both sides have some key players missing and it's West Ham who have impressed most. Despite being on a four-game winless run, they have played with verve and hit the post twice in the opening 45. Bilic's side also had a one-on-one opportunity that Moses fluffed. United have created chances too, but they're a little lucky to still be level.

Bilic will certainly be happy with what he's seen, but will the visitors regret not taking their chances?

PIC: Into the final five minutes of the opening half. Still goalless here at Old Trafford. #MNUWHU #WHUFC #COYI pic.twitter.com/GSTqWVrbC2 — West Ham United FC (@whufc_official) December 5, 2015

Looking at the stats from the opening period - United have had 61% possession and double the shots of West Ham with 10, but none of those have been on target. Moses's one-on-one opportunity that he fired at De Gea is the only shot we've had on target, but the Hammers have hit the post twice.

HT SCORES: Arsenal 1-1 Sunderland, Southampton 0-1 Villa, Swansea 0-2 Leicester, Watford 1-0 Norwich, West Brom 1-1 Spurs

With City losing earlier and Man Utd and Arsenal both currently drawing, what that means is that Leicester are currently going three points clear at the top of the pile. When do we start considering Claudio Ranieri's men genuine title contenders?! Is it still too early?

A reminder that both Van Gaal and Bilic were forced into substitutions in the first half - Moses was replaced by Antonio for the visitors and Carrick took Schneiderlin's place for the hosts. Each now has only two changes left.

MAN UNITED SUB: Make that two subs for United and it's a really surprising one as Guillermo Varela comes on for his debut in defence, replacing McNair. Today is the first time that he's ever been in a matchday squad and he's straight into the action!

KICKOFF! We're back underway at Old Trafford.

Reports from the ground are that Bilic was really unhappy with referee Clattenburg at half time for not punishing Schweinsteiger for his forearm to the throat on Reid. Watching it back, you have to say that the German was extremely lucky to escape punishment. A red card would have been a little harsh, but not yellow was surprising. There's hasn't been a booking yet, by the way.

Lingard lets fly from distance and you can make that shot off-target number 11 for the home side. Adrian has had nothing to do so far.

SAVE! West Ham have their second shot on target as Cresswell's run into the box gives Zarate the space to cut inside and wallop at goal. It's a low strike and too close to De Gea, who smothers comfortably.

CHANCE! Oh West Ham, take your chances please! The visitors work the ball really well to Antonio out wide before Carroll lays off the winger's cross into the path of Zarate, who drags horribly wide with just De Gea to beat from about seven yards.

SAVE! What a save!! Much better from United as Martial dribbles across the pitch from the right before picking out Lingard. The England man returns the ball to his teammate, who cuts it back for Fellaini and his point-blank effort is superbly saved by Adrian. Magnificent goalkeeping!

Song lucky to escape a caution after hacking down Martial as the Frenchman looked to burst towards the box.

PIC: @PapiCheikhou blocks off @ChrisSmalling as the contest remains goalless. #MNUWHU #WHUFC #COYI pic.twitter.com/q22WTJUkIJ

— West Ham United FC (@whufc_official) December 5, 2015

With United struggling to break West Ham down here, what supporters won't want to hear is that James Wilson has just scored a cracking individual goal in the Championship for Brighton. The youngster is on loan with the Seagulls.

UPDATE: Arsenal are back in front against Sunderland. Olivier Giroud scored at the wrong end to give Sunderland their equaliser, but he's just made up for it with a goal in the right net.

I would say they miss captain Rooney, but he's hardly been among the goals this season.

Man United's first shot on target comes in the 60th minute of the game. At home. From Marouane Fellaini. pic.twitter.com/Gaz51TnuT8 — Squawka Football (@Squawka) December 5, 2015

CHANCE! Another missed opportunity for the home side as Mata shoots wide with his weaker right foot from about 12 yards after some neat footy from the Red Devils. We're three-quarters of the way through now and this could go either way.

United only have one change left to make and you would assume that Memphis will be the player introduced when Van Gaal opts to make the sub. As for West Ham, Nikica Jelavic is the only attacking threat they really have on the touchline.

UPDATE: Hat-trick for Mahrez! Leicester lead 3-0 at the Liberty Stadium and they will be top of the table after 15 games of the season. Incredible!

"Attack, attack! Attack attack attack!" chant the United fans and it almost brings a goal as Martial is dispossessed in the box before Schweinsteiger shoots over.

MAN UNITED SUB: As predicted, it is Memphis who comes on and he takes Schweinsteiger's place. The German has been in good form in recent weeks, but didn't have the best of games today. He could have been sent off in the first half as well, remember.

PIC: Chris Smalling fires an effort towards goal. #mufc pic.twitter.com/F4aae06Thw — Manchester United (@ManUtd) December 5, 2015

WEST HAM SUB: Change in midfield for the Hammers, with Obiang on for Song. Man Utd have been applying the pressure in the last couple of moments, but the visitors are holding firm.

"Suuuuper, super Slav!" sing the West Ham fans. With just over 10 minutes to go, you have to say that the Hammers boss has got his tactics spot on so far.

CLOSE! Almost for United! It's Martial who sidefoots just wide but credit must go to Memphis for a fabulous run and one-two with Fellaini down the left. That's what United paid for in the summer.

CLOSE! The pressure is mounting on West Ham now. A free kick is half-cleared to Lingard and his first-time half-volley fizzes wide of the near post. Can the visitors hang on?

What an impact Memphis has made since coming on. He's all over the place hunting the ball down and panicking the West Ham players. Maybe he should have started?

BOOKING! First yellow card of the game for Carrick after he tangled legs with Noble, who was trying to start a West Ham counter. That just gives West Ham a chance to get their breath back.

Silly from debutant Varela as he bundles over Zarate right on the left edge of the United penalty area. Chance here for Zarate to swing it in...

WEST HAM SUB: Zarate's inswinger is punched clear by De Gea and that will be the forward's last action as he is replaced by Jenkinson. Bilic just tightening up the backline. Nearly there.

United were well on top about five minutes ago, but West Ham have done well in the last couple of minutes. Three minutes added on!

Corner for United as Antonio slides in...

BLOCK! Obiang with a key block inside the six-yard box to deny Smalling. Into the final minute...

All square at Old Trafford then and you have to say that's a fair result. If anything, West Ham should have gone home with the points. They created more clear-cut chances but also had to hang on a little at the end.

© Getty Images

Just three wins in 10 in all competitions for United, while West Ham are now without a win in five.

Click here to see how the Premier League table looks right now. United are down in fourth, three points behind leaders Leicester. West Ham move up to sixth, but they could end the weekend further down with Liverpool, Everton and Place still to play.

That's all we've got time for here on SM, so it's best you have a click around on site to read about today's other top-flight results. There is a late kickoff this evening and if you want to follow Chelsea vs. Bournemouth then I strongly advise you head this way to join my colleague Dan Lewis. He won't bit, I promise.