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Preview: Manchester United vs. Cardiff City

Sports Mole looks ahead to Manchester United's Premier League clash against Cardiff City.

All eyes - and not for the first time this season - will be on Old Trafford on Tuesday night for more than one reason.

Ordinarily, the return of the man responsible for Manchester United winning the Champions League back in 1999 would dominate the headlines, but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been trumped by Juan Mata.

The Spaniard, who completed his club-record £37.1m switch from Chelsea to United at the weekend, has been tipped to make his highly anticipated debut against Solskjaer's Cardiff City.

As well as Mata, Red Devils manager David Moyes may be able to call upon the fit again Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie, although the latter of that duo may start the encounter as a substitute.

Rio Ferdinand and Marouane Fellaini have also recently returned to training following injury layoffs, but captain Nemanja Vidic is suspended and Michael Carrick is doubtful.

Meanwhile, having started on the bench against Bolton Wanderers at the weekend, it is expected that Solskjaer will hand recalls to Fraizer Campbell and Craig Noone.

Man United full-back Fabio da Silva may also be part of the Cardiff squad, providing that his proposed transfer is completed, while the same can be said for Stoke City striker Kenwyne Jones.

The away side, who are bottom of the table, have not defeated United since November 1960, which is a sequence of results that dates back six encounters.

Recent form

Man United: LLLWLW

Cardiff: DLWLLW

Possible starting lineups

Man United: De Gea; Rafael, Smalling, Evans, Evra; Fletcher, Giggs; Januzaj, Mata, Rooney; Welbeck

Cardiff: Marshall; Fabio, Caulker, Turner, Theophile-Catherine; Whittingham, Medel, Gunnarsson, Mutch, Noone; Campbell

Sports Mole says: 2-0


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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool119112161528
2Manchester CityMan City117222213923
3Chelsea115422113819
4Arsenal115421812619
5Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest115421510519
6Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton115421915419
7Fulham115331613318
8Newcastle UnitedNewcastle115331311218
9Aston Villa115331717018
10Tottenham HotspurSpurs1151523131016
11Brentford115152222016
12Bournemouth114341515015
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd114341212015
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham113351319-612
15Leicester CityLeicester112451421-710
16Everton112451017-710
17Ipswich TownIpswich111551222-108
18Crystal Palace11146815-77
19Wolverhampton WanderersWolves111371627-116
20Southampton11119721-144


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