Man Utd v Sunderland

Old Trafford
Saturday, 1 September
Kick-off: 1715 BST
Coverage on the BBC Sport website, BBC Radio Five Live & highlights on Match of the Day.

Man Utd striker Louis Saha makes his long-awaited return to the squad after injury and Anderson could feature too.

Wayne Rooney (foot), Gary Neville (thigh) and Cristiano Ronaldo (banned) are out and Ole Solskjaer has retired.

Sunderland new boys Kenwyne Jones and Danny Higginbotham could play, though Jones has a slight hamstring problem.

Ian Harte and Andrew Cole are short of match fitness, Greg Halford is banned and Paul McShane (shoulder) and Kieran Richardson (back) are doubts.

Man Utd (from): Van der Sar, Kuszczak, Heaton, Brown, Ferdinand, Vidic, O'Shea, Evra, Silvestre, Fletcher, Eagles, Carrick, Scholes, Hargreaves, Nani, Anderson, Giggs, Saha, Tevez.

Sunderland (from): Gordon, Ward, Nosworthy, Kay, McShane, Anderson, Higginbotham, Collins, Wallace, Etuhu, Yorke, Miller, Leadbitter, Richardson, Chopra, Jones, Stokes, Murphy, Connolly, O'Donovan.

BIG-MATCH FACTS

Roy Keane returns to Old Trafford for the first time as an opposing manager, as Manchester United against Sunderland, pits the oldest and youngest managers in the Premier League against each other.

This will be Sir Alex Ferguson's 1,159th match in charge of the Red Devils, and Keane's 48th at the help of the Black Cats.

Defeat for Manchester United would make it their worst ever start to this stage of a Premier League season.

The Wearsiders are suffering their worst spell under Keane, with three straight defeats in league and Carling Cup.

United are looking for the one shut-out that will make them the first club to accumulate 250 clean sheets in the Premier League.

Sunderland ended the Red Devils' 100% home Premier League record against them when the last meeting at Old Trafford on 14 April 2006 ended goalless. Goalkeeper Kelvin Davis produced the performance of his life on that Good Friday, as the Black Cats ended United's fading title dreams but also sealed their own, inevitable relegation.

KEY PLAYER NOTES

MANCHESTER UNITED

Paul SCHOLES and NANI are the only players to have scored for Manchester United in this Premier League season.

Ryan GIGGS is a double short of 100 career League goals.

If he plays:-

John O'SHEA will be making his 200th start for Manchester United.

Suspended:-

Cristiano RONALDO (one match)

SUNDERLAND

Michael CHOPRA has scored two of Sunderland's three goals so far.

CHOPRA is a hat trick shy of 50 career league goals (Newcastle, Watford, Barnsley, Cardiff and Sunderland).

Last season's top scorer David CONNOLLY needs one goal to total 100 in his league career (Watford, Wolves, Wimbledon, West Ham, Leicester, Wigan and Sunderland).

If he plays:-

Andrew COLE will be facing a former club. The 35 year old England international made 275 appearances (195 in the league) and scored 121 goals (93 league) for United between January 1995 and December 2001.

Kieran RICHARDSON will be opposing the club where he started his professional career. The 22 year old England international midfielder made 81 appearances (41 in the league) and scored 11 goals (two league) for the Old Trafford club before his close season move to Wearside.

Dwight YORKE will be playing against the club who paid Aston Villa £12.6m for him in August 1998. The 35 year old made 152 appearances (96 in the league) and scored 65 goals (48 league) for the Red Devils in four years at the Theatre of Dreams.

HEAD TO HEAD

Sunderland have beaten Manchester United only once in the Premier League; a 2-1 victory at Roker Park on 8 March 1997 when Michael Gray and John Mullin were on target.

The Wearsiders' only away League maximum over United in their last 25 visits was 39 years ago. Since the 1-2 triumph on 11 May 1968, Sunderland have drawn six and lost 10 League trips to Old Trafford.

Home and away
League (inc PL): Man Utd 45 wins, Sunderland 37, Draws 26
Prem: Man Utd 8 wins, Sunderland 1, Draws 3

at Man United only
League (inc PL): Man Utd 30 wins, Sunderland 11, Draws 13
Prem: Man Utd 5 wins, Sunderland 0, Draws 1

REFEREE

Martin Atkinson (Yorkshire)