Team news for Manchester United v Hull City at Old Trafford in the Premier League on Saturday, November 29, 2014 (kick-off 3pm).Manchester United team news
MANCHESTER United's injury crisis is beginning to clear but Louis van Gaal will still be missing at least four first-team stars for the visit of Hull City.
Daley Blind (knee), Rafael (groin) and Phil Jones (calf) are all ruled out and last weekend saw Luke Shaw, a £32m signing from Southampton this summer, forced off in the 2-1 win at Arsenal. He is expected to miss at least a fortnight.
Marcos Rojo (shoulder) and Radamel Falcao (calf) could be fit enough for a place on the bench but Jonny Evans is the man most likely to return after coming through a reserve fixture on Monday.
The Northern Ireland star has not played since mid-September because of a broken foot.
A three-man defence that includes Chris Smalling and rookies Tyler Blackett and Paddy McNair is expected to continue, flanked by wing-backs Antonio Valencia and Ashley Young.
The availability of Juan Mata, Adnan Januzaj and Anders Herrera provides van Gaal with attacking options but first in the queue is James Wilson. The 18-year-old, who scored twice on his debut in a 3-1 win over City in May, is pushing Robin van Persie to join Wayne Rooney up front in the United attack.Possible Manchester United XI: De Gea; McNair, Smalling, Blackett; Valencia, Carrick, Young' Fellaini, Di Maria; Rooney, van Persie.Subs: Lindegaard (GK), Evans, Fletcher, Mata, Januzaj, Herrera, Wilson.Hull City team news
HULL City will be without their Uruguay internationals Gaston Ramirez and Abel Hernandez as they make the trip to Manchester United tomorrow.
Ramirez begins his three-match suspension, forcing Steve Bruce into at least one change from the side beaten 2-1 by Spurs last week.
Striker Hernandez joins his compatriot on the absentee list. The £10m signing has flown home to Uruguay for the birth of his child and is also likely to miss the game at Everton on Wednesday.
Ramirez's absence is offset by the return of Mohamed Diame from a knee injury.
Diame missed his first City game last weekend but returned to full training this week. That could feasibly be a direct swap but Bruce may also be tempted to rein in his attacking intent.
The points gained at Arsenal and Liverpool came with a three-man defence and reverting to that would give James Chester a recall alongside Michael Dawson and Curtis Davies. Bruce must also decide whether to retain either Hatem Ben Arfa and Robbie Brady if, as expected, he reverts to 3-5-2.
Alex Bruce (hamstring) is in contention, while Robert Snodgrass makes progress from his knee injury.Possible Hull City XI: McGregor' Chester, Dawson, Davies; Elmohamady, Huddlestone, Diame, Livermore, Robertson; Jelavic, Ben ArfaSubs: Harper (GK), Rosenior, Bruce, Quinn, Meyler, Brady, SagboKey clash: Wayne Rooney v Curtis Davies
NO player has been the scourge of Hull City in the Premier League as often as Wayne Rooney. In four appearances, the England captain has scored six goals and inspired victory on every occasion. Rooney continues to lead Manchester United's attacking hopes as captain and he comes into this game in red-hot form following four goals in his last three appearances.
City showed resilience on their travels to collect points at Arsenal and Liverpool last month and it will take something special again from their defence if a fourth consecutive loss is to be avoided.
The other man wearing a captain's armband on Saturday afternoon, Curtis Davies, will be challenged to keep a watchful eye on Rooney alongside his returning partner Michael Dawson.Manchester United form guide
OMINOUS signs of United's endurance are being felt in the final days of November. One defeat in their last seven games has built momentum and tomorrow they will chase a third consecutive win for the first time in 2014.
It is at Old Trafford, too, where United's improvements are best demonstrated. Since losing to Swansea on the opening day they have taken 13 points from 15 on home soil. Not quite back to their formidable best but getting there slowly.Last time out: Arsenal 1 Man United 2
THE first away win of the Louis van Gaal era came as United weathered an Arsenal storm to pinch an unlikely victory at the Emirates Stadium.
David de Gea was to thank as the visitors kept Arsenal at bay during a dominant first half before Kieran Gibbs deflected Antonio Valencia's shot into his own net.
Wayne Rooney's breakaway goal effectively sealed all three points late on and ensured Olivier Giroud's stoppage-time consolation was academic. The Gaffer: Louis van Gaal
IF David Moyes never felt like the right man to lead a club of United's stature, there is little denying Louis van Gaal's suitability for the job.
After managing European giants such as Ajax, Barcelona and Bayern Munich, winning league titles with all three clubs, the former Holland boss took on his first role in the Premier League when named United boss in June.
No shrinking violet in the Old Trafford spotlight and a very good bet to get it right in time.Manchester United prospects
ANOTHER season out of the Champions League is unthinkable for a Manchester United side in post-Ferguson transition and returning to the top table of European football is the one big aim for this season. An FA Cup run would be nice, but Louis van Gaal knows he must make the most of weak opposition and end the campaign in the top-four.
Last weekend's win at Arsenal has propelled them back up to fourth, not bad for a side that has endured so much injury misfortune this season.Memory Lane: November 1, 2008, Manchester United 4 Hull City 3
HULL City have never won a league game at Old Trafford – their one and only success coming in the 1952 FA Cup – but six years ago there was a defeat that will always be remember fondly.
Phil Brown's men, promoted out of the Championship six months earlier, did not die wondering against Sir Alex Ferguson's star-studded side in a seven-goal thriller.
Cristiano Ronaldo was first to find the net early on but Daniel Cousin nodded in an equaliser midway through the first half.
The class of a United side that ruled as champions shone again as Michael Carrick and Ronaldo sent them 3-1 up. It appeared to be game over when Nemanja Vidic struck just before the hour mark.
Then came City's response.
George Boateng's pass out to the right flank was misread by Patrice Evra, allowing Bernard Mendy to chip Edwin van der Sar before Mendy was felled by Rio Ferdinand inside the box, giving Geovanni the stage to make it 4-3 from the spot.
City had scored three goals at Old Trafford on their first league visit for 33 years, but it is now nine wins on the bounce for United over the Tigers, a run dating back to the old Division Two and 1975.
