EPL ~ Manchester United vs Blackburn - Dec 31

zocoss SG

Time: 8:45 pm - (Live)

Mio Channel 102 / 110

EPL Game 19

Manchester United :

De Gea, Evra, Nani, Park, Carrick, Valencia, Rooney, Hernandez, Berbatov, Welbeck, Giggs, Diouf, Gibson, Macheda, Ezekiel Fryers, Lindegaard.

Doubtful - Ferdinand, Rafael, Jones.

Out - Vidic, Fletcher, Evans, Smalling, Fabio, Young, Cleverley, Anderson, Owen.

zocoss SG

Mounting concerns: Sir Alex Ferguson faces a growing injury crisis at United

Blow: Chris Smalling could be out for three months if his illness is confirmed

Manchester United fear key defender Chris Smalling could be out for three months with glandular fever.

Smalling, 22, missed the Boxing Day win over Wigan with what was thought to be a heavy cold, but the illness is more serious and he will remain on the long list of United players currently sidelined through injury or illness.

The acute stage of glandular fever — usually involving flu-like symptoms and fatigue — lasts up to two weeks, but sufferers cannot do strenuous exercise for at least two months. For a professional footballer, it will be longer.

That would be a huge setback for Smalling and United, already without Darren Fletcher, Nemanja Vidic, Ashley Young, Tom Cleverley, Anderson, Jonny Evans, Fabio Da Silva and Michael Owen.

Former Liverpool and Sunderland physio Mark Leather believes United’s £10million signing from Fulham could be out for three months if his illness is confirmed by the club.

He said: ‘You can get back into shape in two months but it might be another three to four weeks before you’re firing on all cylinders. The first time he would be able to play a full game would be nearer to three months.’

Rio Ferdinand and Phil Jones missed the win over Wigan but are expected back for Saturday’s clash with Blackburn at Old Trafford.

Return: Phil Jones (centre) will be back to face Blackburn Rovers

Jones, who moved from Ewood Park in the summer, was in the Rovers side beaten 7-1 at Old Trafford last season.

He describes it as ‘probably the worst day of my career’ but warned team-mates not to take Steve Kean’s side lightly. ‘It won’t be easy,’ he said. ‘They’re a lot better than their League position.’

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Blackburn head to Old Trafford lifted by the 1-1 draw they secured at Liverpool on Boxing Day but there can little sense of momentum being created within the ranks of the Premier League's bottom side. They are, after all, coming up against a team who have defeated their last two opponents 5-0 and know another win on Saturday will see them open a three-point gap at the top for 24 hours at least. There are more injuries for Sir Alex Ferguson to contend with, however, now Chris Smalling has been sidelined with tonsillitis.

Venue Old Trafford

Tickets Sold out

Last season Manchester United 7 Blackburn Rovers 1

Referee M Dean

This season's matches 14 Y47, R1, 3.43 cards per game

Odds Manchester United 1-8 Blackburn 20-1 Draw 13-2

Subs from Lindegaard, Gibson, Fryers, R da Silva, Diouf, Macheda, Berbatov, Welbeck

Doubtful Ferdinand (back), Jones (illness)

Injured Cleverley (ankle, Jan), Owen (thigh, Jan), F da Silva (hamstring, Jan), Anderson (knee, Jan), Young (ankle, Jan), Vidic (knee, Aug), Fletcher (illness, Aug), Smalling (illness, unknown)

Suspended None Form guide WWWWWD

Discip' record Y21 R1 Leading scorer Rooney 13

Subs from Robinson, Olsson, Henley, Slew, Rochina, Roberts, Petrovic, Goodwillie, Anderson, Blackman

Doubtful Robinson (calf/shin), Olsson, Dunn, Hoilett (all hamstring)

Injured Nelsen (knee, Jan), Dann (testicle, Jan), Givet (heart tests, unknown), Grella (hip, unknown)

Suspended None Form guide DLLLWL

Disciplinary record Y38 R2

Leading scorer Yakubu 10

• Manchester United have won their last seven games in all competitions against Blackburn at Old Trafford

• Dimitar Berbatov scored five goals in this fixture last season, which United won 7-1

• The visitors have dropped more points from winning positions than any other Premier League side (14)

• Blackburn's Chris Samba has made more blocks than any other top-flight player (58)

• United are the only top-flight team to have scored in every fixture this season and, in total, they have 1,499 Premier League goals

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Sir Alex Ferguson insists Chris Smalling will be fit to play next week as he "has tonsillitis", not glandular fever as had been reported.

Smalling: Has tonsillitis, not glandular fever

Ferguson said Smalling was suffering from tonsillitis and will play against Newcastle next Wednesday or Manchester City the following Sunday.

"I have seen the reports," Ferguson said. "They are well wide of the mark. He has tonsillitis."

Ferguson also revealed that he could have Rio Ferdinand and Phil Jones available for Saturday's clash against Blackburn at Old Trafford.

There were claims on Friday that Smalling, 22, could be out for up to three months which would have added to United's injury woes.

Looking further ahead, Ferguson said he sees Tottenham as one of the main challengers this season for the Premier League title.

"They are playing the best football in the country," he said. "They could win it on this form."

And the United manager, who celebrates his 70th birthday on Saturday, said the club will look at exercising their option on Dimitar Berbatov's contract in March.

The Bulgarian has just six months left on his current deal, but there is a clause which means United can offer an extra year.

gunner77 SG

United team: De Gea; Rafael, Carrick, Jones, Evra; Nani, Valencia, Park, Welbeck; Hernandez, Berbatov.

Subs: Lindegaard, Anderson, Diouf, Pogba, W.Keane, Cole, Fryers

4 youngsters in the bench

no rooney no giggs.

Rock^Star SG

ok better fess up. Who bought blackburn win? Your supper treat hor......

Keii SG

HELLO COMPLACENCY! Fucking bullshit.

Rock^Star SG

It's so united, reminds me of that loss to burnley some years back. It's times like these where titles are lost. So like I've said before, just focus on united blooding youngsters haha. Who's will keane again?

Bus&Soccer l0v3r (VO3x 1) SG

Lolx epic from soccernet

From a corner, De Gea is beaten to the ball by Hanley, who also wins the second ball to head in Blackburn's third goal. Absolutely rubbish from De Gea though.

funniegal SG

OMG..the thrid goal so rubbissssh...

de gea ah de gea.

Evra pls go also. Nani..i wonder why he on the pitch so long...

Park..he need to rest la he old liao.

By the will who will keane? He has a last min shot not bad wor.

tripsky SG

watched the game with my friend who is a bb fan.

saw the lineup + subs i told my friend bb got chance liao.

lineup will surely find it hard to win the ball in the air so why was lindegaard dropped?

too many players played out of position in the first half.. super rojak. SAF got to take some responsibility also.

wah and also the guy giving the player ratings on manutd.com is a joke man. they should get roy keane to assess the players.

ok rant finish. happy new year~!

zocoss SG

To be fair, i don't blame the United players cos I can see they really tried their best running till the very end. The only problem was the injury problem finally caught up with us that's all. With no proper defenders, it was always going to trouble us. And without a physically strong defender, it was only waiting to happen especially against a very big and physical side like Blackburn.

De gea didn't had a good game either as he isn't the best going up against physically stronger guys. Carrick did his best filling in as a centre-back in the last few games but it's still not his natural position we have to say.

Anyway, Blackburn deserved the points as they defended really well. I couldn't see United scoring despite attacking all the time but each time Blackburn came forward, the United defence was shaky... So a good win for Steve Kean and hopefully after this, the BB fans will take to him and stop their weekly protest for him to go.

Rock^Star SG

Utd's two losses were to the top and bottom team lol. I think it's time to call lindegaard into action permanently.

zocoss SG

Wow, the unexpected happen to City as well... lol.

And I must say, their is even more painful to take given they were 'killed' on the very last min of injury time... lol

Rock^Star SG

offside somemore.

zocoss SG

A belated birthday present from O'Shea...

zocoss SG

Wow, the unexpected happen to City as well... lol.

And I must say, their is even more painful to take given they were 'killed' on the very last min of injury time... lol

Sorry correction, last second... not min... Exactly on the 93rd... Ji Dong-Won ...

Jacky Woo SG

united 3 goals conceded were belated christmas gift too. De Ge is still weak in coming to collect crosses. he need to improve on his physique and weak crosses.

Jacky Woo SG

city vs liverpool on tuesday is a crunch game for both. liverpool need the points to finish top 4 and city needed the points to extend the gap. hopefully its a draw, much as I liked for a liverpool win.