Stoke are dropping like a stone. They have won one of their past 13 league games and looked like relegation material against Aston Villa last Saturday. Sir Alex Ferguson, though, is taking nothing for granted. "It's still a difficult place to go to," the United manager said ahead of the trip to the Britannia, where the league leaders have won on three of their past four visits. Ashley Young is injured but Jonny Evans is available and could return to a United side determined to bounce back from Monday's defeat against Manchester City. Stuart James

Venue Britannia Stadium, Sunday 2.05pm

Tickets £40-50 (01782 367599)

Last season Stoke 1 Man Utd 1

Referee Jon Moss

This season's matches 18 Y56, R1, 3.17 cards per game

Odds Stoke 5-1 Man Utd 8-13 Draw 14-5

Stoke

Subs from Sorensen, Owen, Jerome, Crouch, Wilkinson, Whitehead, Palacios, Shotton, Shea, Ness, Etherington

Doubtful Wilson (back/hamstring), Etherington (back)

Injured None

Suspended None

Form guide LLDLLL

Disciplinary record Y66 R3

Leading scorer Walters 6

Manchester United

Subs from Lindegaard, Johnstone, Anderson, Welbeck, Evans, Powell, Büttner, Kagawa, Giggs, Hernández

Doubtful Evans (hamstring)

Injured Vidic (thigh, 20 Apr), Smalling (knock, 20 Apr), Young (ankle, 27 Apr), Scholes (knee, May), Fletcher (illness, May)

Suspended None

Form guide LWWWWW

Disciplinary record Y47 R0

Leading scorer Van Persie 19

Match pointers

• United are unbeaten in eight Premier League games away from home and if they avoid defeat here it will be their best run of the season

• Stoke have not beaten United in a league encounter since Boxing Day 1984

• United have had 17 different scorers and 17 different players with assists this season, both league highs

• Antonio Valencia has won every Premier League game in which he has scored (16), no other player can match that over so many games

• Stoke have scored just two goals in their past six league games and one of those came from the penalty spot