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. Sachin Nakrani

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

Manchester Utd

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

Blackburn

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

Match pointers

• 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