Manchester United have won their first five games and are playing with so much panache you wouldn't discount them emulating the record of 10 straight victories set by Ron Atkinson's team in 1985. The trip to Stoke, however, represents a difficult challenge. "I love the atmosphere there because it makes you play," Sir Alex Ferguson says. "If you don't pay attention, it just engulfs you. You have to perform to get a result." He can be encouraged that Javier Hernández, scorer of both goals in a 2-1 win here last season, has been passed fit after Ashley Cole's scything tackle last Sunday. Daniel Taylor

Venue Brittania Stadium, Saturday 5.30pm

Tickets Sold out

Last season Stoke City 1 Manchester United 2

Referee Peter Walton

This season's matches 3 Y16, R1, 5.67 cards per game

Odds Stoke City 6-1 Manchester United 8-15 Draw 11-4

Stoke City

Subs from Nash, Sorensen, Soares, Fuller, Diao, Whitehead, Tonge, Delap, Wilkinson, Shotton, Arismendi, Lund, Jerome, Cuvelier, Woodgate

Doubtful Fuller (achilles)

Injured Higginbotham (knee, 1 Oct), Jones (hamstring, 15 Oct), Sidibe (achilles, unknown)

Suspended None

Form guide LWWDD

Disciplinary record Y6 R0

Leading scorer Jones, Shotton, Walters 1

Manchester United

Subs from Kuszczak, Lindegaard, Evans, Park, Giggs, Macheda, Diouf, Berbatov, Carrick, Welbeck, Owen, Valencia, Fábio

Doubtful Ferdinand (hamstring), Smalling (groin)

Injured Cleverley (ankle, 15 Oct), Gibson (ankle, 15 Oct), Vidic (calf, 15 Oct), Rafael (shoulder, Nov)

Suspended None

Form guide WWWWW

Disciplinary record Y7 R0

Leading scorer Rooney 9

Match pointers

• United have defeated Stoke in their last seven meetings

• Stoke have scored three goals in their last seven Premier League games

• David de Gea has the most saves this season (28) and the best saves to shot ratio, stopping 88% of all shots

• Stoke have made the fewest shots on target in the league (10) while United have managed the joint-most (43)

• Wayne Rooney is the second player to score in the first five Premier League games for his side – José Antonio Reyes did it for Arsenal in 2004