Boxing day special Stoke City v Manchester United

After their adventure in Japan United takes on Stoke City on early boxing day match . United are 7 points behind leaders Liverpool with 2 games in hand . United pay their first ever visit to Stoke's Britannia Stadium with the intention of adding to their 500 league wins under Sir Alex Ferguson.
This season Stoke were hammered by United 5 - 0 at Oldtrafford with Christiano Ronaldo leading the demolition . He will be the man Stoke will be fearing and waiting with tactics . Wayne Rooney is in fine form for United as he has once again showed his caliber in Japan . Berbatov is expected to partner Rooney upfront but he has not gained the form which he has shown for Tottenham . The thing most worrying United is they are wasting too many chances in front of goal with Tevez and Berbatov taking it as a challenge .
Patrice Evra is suspended for the match following his part in last years events at Chelsea . United will miss his long runs through left flank as John O'shea is expected to take the role.

Stoke keeper Thomas Sorensen returns after a scan revealed no serious damage to his injured fingers.

City have a string of other injury concerns, however, with Dave Kitson and Andy Griffin (both knee), Salif Diao (calf) and Leon Cort (groin) doubtful.

Stoke (from): Sorensen, Shawcross, Sonko, Abdoulaye Faye, Higginbotham, Delap, Amdy Faye, Whelan, Cresswell, Pugh, Fuller, Pericard, Tonge, Soares, Simonsen, Olofinjana, Davies, Wilkinson, Griffin, Diao, Cort, Kitson.

Man Utd (from): Van der Sar, Kuszczak, Amos, Neville, Ferdinand, Vidic, O'Shea, Evans, Rafael, Ronaldo, Anderson, Giggs, Park, Carrick, Nani, Scholes, Fletcher, Gibson, Berbatov, Rooney, Tevez, Welbeck.