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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
1Liverpool108111961325
2Manchester CityMan City1072121111023
3Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest10541147719
4Chelsea105322012818
5Arsenal105321711618
6Aston Villa105321715218
7Tottenham HotspurSpurs1051422111116
8Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton104421714316
9Fulham104331413115
10Bournemouth104331312115
11Newcastle UnitedNewcastle104331010015
12Brentford104151920-113
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd10334912-312
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham103251319-611
15Leicester CityLeicester102441418-410
16Everton102351017-79
17Crystal Palace10145813-57
18Ipswich TownIpswich100551021-115
19Southampton10118719-124
20Wolverhampton WanderersWolves100371427-133


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