Since Manchester United lost 1-0 at Everton in their season opener Sir Alex Ferguson has set the controls to 'victory', with his side reeling off six consecutive wins. Nemanja Vidic's knee injury means Ferguson is down to his last two senior centre-backs in Jonny Evans and Rio Ferdinand, and with the latter's need to manage a back condition, André Villas-Boas will ask his resurgent Tottenham side to drive at the home defence. If successful Spurs could finally secure a first league win at Old Trafford since 1989. Jamie Jackson

Venue Old Trafford, Saturday 5.30pm

Tickets £36-£52 (0161 868 8000)

Last season Man Utd 3 Tottenham 0

Referee C Foy

This season's matches 4 Y5, R0, 1.25 cards per game

Odds Man Utd 4-7 Tottenham 5-1 Draw 3-1

Man Utd

Subs from Lindegaard, Johnstone, Buttner, Hernández, Cleverley, Welbeck, Anderson, Giggs, Powell, Macheda, Bebé, Henríquez, Fletcher, Kagawa

Doubtful None

Injured Valencia (leg, 3 Oct), Young (knee, 21 Oct), Smalling (foot, 21 Oct), Vidic (knee, Dec), Jones (knee, Dec)

Suspended None

Form guide WWWWLW

Disciplinary record Y6 R0

Leading scorer Van Persie 5

Tottenham

Subs from Lloris, Gomes, Cudicini, Smith, Caulker, Naughton, Falqué, Huddlestone, Mason, Dempsey, Carroll, Townsend

Doubtful Naughton (foot)

Injured Adebayor (hamstring, 6 Oct), Assou-Ekotto (knee, 20 Oct), Parker (achilles, 20 Oct), Kaboul (knee, Dec), Livermore (groin, unknown)

Suspended None

Form guide WWDDLW

Disciplinary record Y5 R1

Leading scorer Defoe 4

Match pointers

• Manchester United have won 17 and lost none of their last 22 Premier League games against Tottenham

• Robin van Persie has scored five goals and has four assists in his last six league home games against Tottenham

• The last player to score a winning goal for Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford was Gary Lineker in December 1989. Since then Spurs have lost 18 and drawn four of 22 visits

• Manchester United have earned six more points from losing positions this season than the three they mustered in the whole of 2011-12