Preview: United v Hull City

Venue: Old Trafford. Date: Saturday, 1st November 2008. Kick-off: 15:00 GMT

United will be without Wes Brown after he picked up an ankle injury, while Gary Neville is set to return to the first-team. Edwin Van der Sar and Michael Carrick should also be handed starting berths.

The Red Devils returned to winning ways midweek, after being held by Everton at Goodison Park, beating West Ham at The Theatre of Dreams with two Cristiano Ronaldo goals. United are unbeaten at Home.

Rio Ferdinand is the only player to have been on the field for every minute of every one of United's premier league matches this season. 

Wayne Rooney, who's scored nine goals in his last nine games for club and country and five in seven appearances for United, needs one more to total 100 club goals (Everton and United)

Cristiano Ronaldo has scored in each of his last eight premier league appearances at OT. If he finds the net, it will be the best such run since A. Shearer netted in 16 consecutive home league matches for Newcastle in 1996-97.

If play Gary Neville will be making his 550th appearances for Manchester United and Ronaldo will be making his 250th appearances for United. 

Head to Head: United have won their last three meetings with Hull in league and cup. The ultimate league clash was 33 years ago in the Old Second Division, when United won 2-0 at OT on 15 February 1975.

Home and away: United wins 9, Hull 4, Draws 3. (In the actual Premier league format, these two clubs never have faced)

United starter XI: Van der Sar, Kuszczak, Foster, Neville, R. Da Silva, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evans, O'Shea, Evra, Ronaldo, Carrick, Fletcher, Anderson, Giggs, Nani, Park, Rooney, Berbatov, Tevez.

Referee: Mike Dean.

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New sponsor deal for Hublot

United has signed a new multi-million pound sponsorship deal with Swiss Watch manufacturers Hublot. 

Hublot has paid us$12.000.000 for a three-year partnership deal with the English club. The Swiss firm will now has its brand name around OT Stadium. 

United chief executive David Gill has said about it:"We are delighted to welcome such a prestigious partner as Hublot to the United family."

Chief executive of Hublot, Jean-Claude Biver, said it was an extraordinary partnership for Hublot. It mark was founded in 1980 by Carlo Crocco. As part of the sponsorship deal, the luxury watchmaker is to produce a Red Devil watch, with a 45-minute counter - the time of a half of play in football.

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United 2 - 0 West Ham

Cristiano Ronaldo has celebrated his first goal in an emphatic fashion.

Displaying flashes of styles, United raced into the 13th minute lead after the superb Nani cut the ball back for Ronaldo to slot into the corner.

Berbatov's skill saw him skip past James Collins, allowing him to square for Ronaldo to tap in. 

United are now eight points behind leader Liverpool, and returning to winning ways. 

And the second goal came on 29 minutes when Anderson caressed the down the left, and after Collins with a breathtaking moment of skill on the by-line, Berbatov squared for Ronny to slot in his second.

United assistant manager Mike Phelan said:

"We felt we should have attacked the game more and gone for more goals. We weren't as comfortable as we should have been in the second half. Berbatov showed his credential and that piece of skill was the highlights of the game. We need to realize in difference goals by the end of the season." 

Line-up:

Kuszczak, R. Da Silva (Neville 81), Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Ronaldo, Fletcher (Carrick 69), Anderson, Nani (Rooney 70), Tevez, Berbatov. Subs not used: Foster, Giggs, Park, O'Shea.

Booked: Evra.

Goals: Ronaldo 14, 30.

Attendance: 75,397.

Referee: Peter Walton.

Man-of-the-Match: C. Ronaldo.

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Ronaldo is the new 'Player of the Year'

United and Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo has got 'The footballer of the year' award, leaving out 54 other top players.

Professional footballers of around the world has voted him, because he scored 42 goals last season. 

Besides this award, he was also included in the 'team of the year', alongside his team-mate Rio Ferdinand. 

"To be recognised by my fellow players is amazing," said The Portuguese boy.

"I would like to thank to my team-mates, coaches and the national team, as well as my family and friends for their support." added Ronaldo

"The number of goals he scored last year was phenomenal," said Sir Alex Ferguson

He was linked with Real Madrid last summer, but fortunately he decided to stay at United. He has clarified that the reason to stay at this wonderful club was his boss Alex Ferguson. "Sir Alex has been a big inspiration to me," he said. "He believed in me enough to buy me. I've learned so much from him and I'm continuing learning because he is a great manager"

The novel of the last season is finished and now he is thinking about United and to win the Premier League and Champions League again. Ronaldo has three goals this season, after he missing the start of the campaign because of an injury on one of his knees. 

The shortlist of Fifpro also included to Terry, Frank Lampard, Ashley Cole, Wayne Rooney and Cesc Fabregas. 

FifPro is the worldwide representative organization for Professional football players, with more than 57,500 members. 

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Here is the FifPro XI: 

Goalkeeper: Iker Casillas (R. Madrid)

Defenders: Sergio Ramos (R. Madrid), John Terry (Chelsea), Carles Puyol (Barcelona), Rio Ferdinand (Manchester United)

Midfielders: Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Xavi (Barcelona), Kaká (AC Milan)

Forwards: Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Fernando Torres (Liverpool), Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)

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Everton 1 - 1 United

United had dominated the first 45 minutes of the Barclays Premier League clash with a controlled and confident display, to the point that Everton were chasing shadows.

United held a deserved lead through Darren Fletcher at the break, but in the second period Everton stormed back with a physical performance, with Fellaini heading the equalizer.

Sir Alex Ferguson was able to make five changes to the United side that outclassed Celtic in the UCL midweek.

Rio Ferdinand and Patrice Evra were back from injury, while Ryan Giggs return as Captain. Wes Brown and Ji-Sung Park were also called.

Wayne Rooney was in search of his 100th career goal against his former club, but he missed an opportunity seven minutes before half-time when he saw a close-range effort scrambled wide by Joseph Yobo.

It was the final serious action of a pulsating encounter, that ended with Everton more satisfied with the result than United.

United: 

Van der Sar, Brown, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Ronaldo, Fletcher (Tevez 78), Giggs, Park (Anderson 67), Berbatov, Rooney (Nani 71). Subs not used: Kuszczak, Neville, O'Shea, Evans.

Booked: Vidic, Rooney, Brown.

Goal: Fletcher 22.

Attendance: 36, 069.

Referee: Alan Wiley.

Man-of-the-Match: Darren Fletcher.

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Everton v United

Rio Ferdinand (groin) and Patrice Evra (hamstring) should return, while Michael Carrick is expected to comeback to Wednesday.

Dimitar Berbatov (hip) and Cristiano Ronaldo (knee) have overcome knocks, while Paul Scholes and Owen Hargreaves (both knee) are still missing.

United line-up:

Van der Sar, Kuszczak, Foster, Brown, Neville, Rafael, Vidic, Evra, Evans, Ferdinand, O'Shea, Ronaldo, Park, Fletcher, Anderson, Giggs, Rooney, Nani, Berbatov, Tevez.

Wayne Rooney had said about this match:

"For obvious reasons, Saturday is a big game for me. It is always nice to any player to score 100 goals and If I can do that at Everton, where I started and at Goodison Park, where I scored my first premier league goal, it would be really pleasing. But it wouldn't really matter if it was my first or my 100th, it would still be really sweet."

Rio Ferdinand is the only remaining player to have been on the field for every minute of every one of United's premier league matches this season. 

Wayne Rooney, who scored nine goals in his last seven games for club and country and five in five appearances for United, needs one more to total 100 club goals (Everton and Manchester United)

Rooney will be playing the day after his 23rd birthday. 

The last match between these two teams was 0 - 1 for  United on 15 September 2007 and the only goal was done by Vida at 83 minute. 

The Referee will be Alan Wiley

Venue: Goodison Park

Date & Time of the match: Saturday, 25 October at 12:00 BST

If you want to listen Live Commentary about this match, you can do it on BBC Radio 5 or BBC Radio Merseyside and all the Highlights on BBC Sport website. 

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Red's Interview with Wayne Rooney

Will the fact it's your birthday weekend make Everton away any more special?

Not really. Going to Everton to myself is something I look forward to at the start of every season. I can't wait for it to come around. It's the day after my birthday this year and I'm sure it will be a nice present if I can score and we can win.

We take it your birthday celebration will be on hold until after the match...

Yes! I'll be in a hotel with the team on my birthday (Friday) so I won't see any of my family until Saturday.

Will there be mixed feelings for your family if you score against Everton?

Yes, I'm sure there will be. Most of my family support Everton and they go to all the games so I'm sure they'll want a score draw with me scoring - I think that would be a perfect result for my family. But I'm looking to try and get the victory for United which is important to us now we're in a good run of form. We need to continue that.

Will Everton's poor run make them more dangerous, like a wounded animal?

No, I think it's the same whenever we go there. The Everton fans are always really up for the game and my going back there gives them extra incentive to get behind their team. Their players work really hard and put a lot of pressure on you when you've got the ball. We have to just play our game and hopefully be good enough to win.

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