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Man Utd v Stoke: Preview

Sir Alex Ferguson expects Wayne Rooney to shrug off a slight chest infection in time to face Stoke at Old Trafford on Saturday.

Rooney missed a couple of days’ training this week but Ferguson is confident he will be fit as Manchester United look to bounce back from last Saturday’s reverse at Arsenal.

Wholesale changes are expected from the midweek Carling Cup win over QPR, with Cristiano Ronaldo, Dimitar Berbatov and Rio Ferdinand among those who can expect a recall.

And Ferguson claimed United are ready to meet the unique challenge of Stoke’s aerial bombardment, convinced the Premier League champions are playing better than ever this season.

It may seem a strange thing to say given his side are eight points adrift of pacesetters Chelsea and Liverpool and lost their second match of the season at Arsenal last week.

But Ferguson is convinced his side are suffering purely from an untimely inability to turn their chances into goals.

And, once they sort that admittedly significant problem out, the Scot feels United will be flying again.

“I actually believe the performance level is better than it was last season,” said Ferguson.

“We have just to start finding that little bit extra in terms of our finishing.

“Life has always been the same here. If you lose a game you have to recover immediately.

“Maybe we need to be more ruthless or show more composure at times but there is no doubt, making the chances we are, it will turn for us.”

It seems strange for Ferguson to be pin-pointing an attack containing Cristiano Ronaldo, Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov, with Carlos Tevez waiting in the wings.

Yet it is true United are wasting scoring opportunities at an alarming rate, even if, after conceding five goals in two matches, the Red Devils’ defence also needs to rediscover its old magic.

“You just have to accept there are some little periods in every season where you just can’t put the ball in,” said Ferguson.

“We have said time and time again, someone will suffer. We just have to concentrate and keep the belief that if we play our football and continue making chances, it will change for us.”

Ferguson must also put plenty of faith in Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic.

Unlike Arsene Wenger, the United boss will not be berating Stoke’s aerial ambitions.

Indeed, Ferguson does not feel Tony Pulis’ side are as blatant in their tactics as Wimbledon were when the completed their rise through English football in the 1980s.

But, in Rory Delap’s long throw-ins, the United boss does accept Stoke boast a weapon that is not easily avoided.

“I remember once playing a team that were very useful at corners and saying to mine own ‘Don’t give any corners away’. We gave one away in the first minute and they scored so I will forget that piece of advice,” reflected Ferguson.

“It is impossible anyway. Every team gets throw-ins.

“It is not so much the throws themselves, it is the way Delap propels them. They are really flat, which makes them very difficult to defend.”

Pulis is hoping striker Mamady Sidibe will be fit for the trip after suffering an ankle injury in the draw with Wigan and missing the Carling Cup victory over League Two side Rotherham in midweek.

Pulis is set to revert to the side that secured a point last Saturday after making wholesale changes against the Millers.

Meanwhile, the world’s fastest man apparently has a bit of dilemma - whether to cheer on Manchester United as usual or back his “party mate” Ricardo Fuller instead.

Usain Bolt has a long-term friendship with Stoke striker Fuller, who will run out at Old Trafford.

Fuller, 28, was a firm supporter of Bolt as he delivered gold medals in the 100 metres, 200 metres and 4×100m relay at the Beijing Olympics - all in world record times.

And now Bolt has been asked to repay the favour by his fellow Jamaican.

Fuller said: “I know Usain supports Manchester United and he will be watching the game. He is one of my good mates, one of my party mates and he will be looking forward to this match.

“I do not know who he is going to support but I hope it is me as it is such a big occasion.

“There is a lot of interest throughout Jamaica as most of the island support Manchester United and Arsenal. However, now I am playing for Stoke in the Premier League, we have a few fans there as well, which is good.”

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