Premier League: Fulham v Manchester United match preview

A look ahead to this weekend's Premier League match at Craven Cottage

Wayne Rooney (GETTY IMAGES)

After a 4-1 thrashing at the hands of Manchester United in the FA Cup last weekend, Fulham quickly get the chance of revenge when they host the league leaders at tea time on Saturday.

Martin Jol’s team secured only their third win in 16 league games with a 3-1 victory over West Ham during the week, but were able to welcome five new signings in all over the January transfer window, the pick of which may be highly-rated Urby Emanuelson who comes on loan from AC Milan and could make his debut on Saturday.

United won during the week as well but the 2-1 victory over Southampton at Old Trafford was far from routine, with the away side unlucky to leave Old Trafford empty-handed. However Sir Alex Ferguson’s men can go 10 points clear of City, who have a tricky game against improving Liverpool on Sunday, with a win here.

KICK-OFF: Saturday, 5.30pm

PAST THREE MEETINGS...

Man United 4 (Giggs, Rooney, Hernandez 2) Fulham 1 (Hughes) FA Cup, January, 2013

Man United 3 (Van Persie, Kagawa, Da Silva) Fulham 2 (Duff, Vidic o.g) August, 2012

Man United 1 (Rooney) Fulham 0, Premier League, March, 2012

STATS...

Man United won this fixture 5-0 last season

Fulham have kept just one clean sheet in their last 16 league games

Of the 24 matches Robin Van Persie has started this season, Man United have won 20, drawn two and lost two.

Man United have the best record in the league of playing against teams from the bottom half, winning 12 out of 13, with 37 goals scored.

ODDS...

Fulham to win 6.0

Man United to win 1.64

Draw 4.3

MEMORABLE MATCH...

While Manchester United have enjoyed the best of this fixture in recent years, the trip to Craven Cottage had not been so fruitful for a run of seasons prior to the 2010-11 season, with Fulham taking points off the Sir Alex Ferguson’s team three seasons in a row. The sequence started in the 2008-09 campaign when title-chasing United finished the game with nine men in a 2-0 loss. Paul Scholes was the first United player to see red, and then late in the game Wayne Rooney followed suit. Rooney, perhaps with a more volatile personality, reacted by hurling the ball back towards referee Phil Dowd and then unceremoniously punching the corner flag on his way off the pitch.

TV: Live on ESPN AT 5.30pm, Highlights on BBC1 at 10.30pm