Stoke City V Manchester United

Stoke away is always a tough, physical game for any team. This will also be a huge test for DDG, as he will come across the modern day-hoof-Wimbledon style football that Stoke City are renowned for. Let's not forget a certain Rory Delap, who is used more for his throwing ability, rather than his football ability.

reports are coming that Ferdinand will start this game, and it is important he does so. With Smalling out due to a groin injury, we could deploy Jones at RB- a position he was brilliant at against Bolton. Play Evans and Rio at CB and Evra at LB. Here's the team I think SAF will choose:

DDG

Jones
Rio
Evans
Evra

Young
Fletcher
Anderson
Nani

Rooney
Berbatov

Welbeck is available, but I think it may be a bit too soon for him to come on against this physical team...it's not worth risking him for it. So Berbs I reckon will get his first start. Lots of talk of Vidic being available for this game too, I don't know how true those reports are.

What do you guys reckon? I think it will be a tough game, it always is against them. we usually beat them at the end of the game, after 80+ mins. They are a tough unit, very organised at the back and deadly at set pieces. We are the form team atm, and we will create chances. If we show the attacking form we have so far this season, then I reckon we should be able to get the win.

I hope Owen gets some game time if he doesn't start. It would be unfair to keep leaving him out, when he is playing well, it won't be good for his confidence.

Furthermore, I think Hernandez would of been perfect for this game, games like these are ones where he can grab a goal even when the team is not playing well and deeply in need of one.

i would be surprised, albeit pleased, if Owen gets the nod for this ahead of Berbs.

But I reckon last season, with the way we struggled away from home, our form and whatnot, we had the advantage of a poacher like Cheech. But I think with the form of Nani, Young, Rooney + our subs on the bench, so much match winners, I think we can get a goal from anywhere.

We have just got to play with the same confidence we have so far and the goals will come.

Is Welbeck still unavailable? I want to see the lad play again....

Won't be surprised if Chicharito starts, he's been back in training since Wednesday.

Welbeck should be match fit though.

Hernandez is fit for this game. Brilliant news and what a surprising recovery.

just need tom back now and we can get back to that pwning teams

Nani what a goal. Left foot, right foot doesn't matter he will finish it.

I especially liked it when he missed the ball and the Stoke fans started to cheer and he asked them to get louder, lol.

I hope Hernandez is fine too, we could've had a penalty.

It has been since Chelsea - Barcelona that I have not seen such a blatant favoritism for one of the team.

2 penaltys not whistled, 2 players should have been gone already, and the constant fouls not called is ridiculous.

Our defense has looked so shaky lately, it might be a coincidence but ever since Cleverley has been injured we've had a lack of protection from the midfield. Oh, and if Vidic played today he would've owned Crouch.

Poor, poor refereeing...absolutely awful. We should have had a penalty in the first half when Woodgate pushed Hernandez onto the GK & Woodgate should have been sent off. We should have had another penalty when that Stoke player handballed it in plain view of the ref. The linesman then waves his flag to indicate a pen, then conveniently changes his mind to rule offside for Owen........HOW THE FCK DOES THAT MAKE SENSE???? It was a shot from Evra, not a pass to Owen ffs!!! blatant attempt to stop us from winning!!

Giggs should have won it in the end for us.........how?............how did he miss that chance...what a ball from Nani too.

I really hate Stoke because they are really infuriating to watch play. So many giants in the team with the intention of recieving every high ball. Every set piece and corner kick had my heart in my mouth, and I knew that will be the only way we will concede a goal today..and viola, that extremely limited giant gets their equalizer.

Nani was our best player, he was really up for it and took his goal superbly. Young was really poor today, his worst Utd game. Anderson was shit too, always overhits his passes, it pisses me off at times. Owen and Berbatov as striker partnership just doesn't work...they both had a poor game.

We really missed Rooney and Chicha tonight. Rooney is our engine and makes the whole team tick, without him, we are clueless at times up front.

The back four did alright, Jones played well again and made 2 very good burst to the opposition's box in the first half. Valencia got sucked in a few times by Crouch at RB..thank God it didn't prove to be costly.

They had a chance squandered by Crouch which was just as bad as Giggs'.so in all fairness, a draw was a fair result. They are a horrible team and tough to play. A point against them is not too bad, and we are still in 1st place.

You guys now know officially how it feels to play away agst Stoke...

POSITIVE - YOU GOT A FRAKING POINT.

Reftoke ... 3 penalties were denied to us..

This early into the season Jones is reminding me of how Darren Fletcher played a few seasons back. Rarely a bad game, always at least a 7/10 (fine, 6.5) per game. Guy's consistent as a rock and I love his skillset. Living up to his price tag.

That's a positive. Negatives.... we should never ever play Berbatov and Owen again together, we're starting to look like Arsenal in terms of injury (though probably not as bad).

The match also shows that we should have a decent backup strategy if Rooney isn't playing. Easiest answer points to Nani Mode, of course, however while we're establishing that we need someone proven to step up from time to time this season.

Berbagod to come back

the *bleep* injuries we pick up because of *bleep* butcher players on the other teams is getting ridiculous....just because we play are opposition off the park doesn't mean you have to start butchering them...*bleep* refs need to open there *bleep* eyes, that's 3 red card offenses that have not even been given a yellow this year....united always get the refs help tho

totally agree about the rooney statement Devil made....he is are lynch pin upfront, this is why i *bleep* howl in laughter everytime some idiot la liga fan boy says how overrated rooney is....how are mentality is why we win....we have *bleep* great players and rooney is the greatest of them all fact