West Ham vs Manchester United: Premier League match preview

A look ahead to this weekend's Premier League fixture at Upton Park

Louis van Gaal speaks with Wayne Rooney

West Ham host Manchester United at Upton Park on Sunday seeking their first home Premier League win against them since 2007.

The Hammers have found little joy against United on their own patch, with one win against them in eight years.

Five places and seven points separate the sides at present, United in third and West Ham sitting in an impressive eighth position in the top flight.

Manager Sam Allardyce’s outfit have fallen to a solitary defeat at the Boleyn Ground in ten home league fixtures although they have picked up just one win in six games.

United boss Louis Van Gaal’s star-studded side have surprisingly only secured three wins away from Old Trafford but importantly the Red Devils have suffered just two defeats on the road.

If West Ham are going to secure a rare win over Manchester United then they have to keep Wayne Rooney quiet. The striker has scored ten goals in his last nine games against the Hammers.

The visitors, undefeated in 12 of their last 13 Premier league matches, are fortunate in that they almost have a full complement of players to choose from, with only former Hammer Michael Carrick sidelined with a calf strain.

The east Londoners are not so lucky and have six players missing, most notably Andy Carroll, Winston Reid and James Tompkins but are boosted by the returning Diafra Sakho who scored in the reverse fixture.

KICK-OFF: Sunday 4.15pm

PAST THREE MEETINGS…

Manchester United 2 (Rooney, Van Persie) West Ham (Sakho), Premier League, September 2014

West Ham 0 Manchester United (Rooney 2), Premier League, March 2014

Manchester United 3 (Welbeck, Januzaj, Young), West Ham 1, Premier League, December 2013

STATS…

The Hammers have scored more headed goals than any other team in the Premier League this season (14).

Man Utd have used more players than any other Premier League team in the 2014/2015 season (31).

West Ham have scored the second highest amount of goals from corners with (7) behind Chelsea at (8).

The teams have played 108 times over nearly a century, with Man Utd winning 53, losing 31 and drawing 24 against the Hammers.

ODDS...

West Ham to win: 4.2

Manchester United to win: 1.95

Draw: 3.6

CLASSIC MATCH...

Rewind to November 2010 and a famous night at Upton Park for West Ham with a rare victory over Man Utd 4-0 in the fifth round of the Carling Cup.

Two goals apiece from Carlton Cole and Jonathan Spector in the snow sealed a fairy-tale win for the Hammers against Sir Alex Ferguson’s side who were previously unbeaten that season.

TV: Live on Sky Sports 1 at 4.15pm. Highlights on MOTD on BBC1 at 10.30pm.