Sir Alex Ferguson's graceless recalling of two loanees from Preston shows that entering his 70th year, as he did today, has done little to soften the Manchester United manager. But there is an element of charity in his team selection for this fixture, with Dimitar Berbatov, Wayne Rooney and Rio Ferdinand all likely to start on the substitutes' bench. The league leaders will be confident of victory, though, given West Bromwich have lost their last three games and are without the suspended Gabriel Tamas and Gonzalo Jara in defence. Sachin Nakrani

Venue The Hawthorns, Saturday 12.45pm

Tickets £42 (0871 271 9780)

Last season n/a

Referee Chris Foy

This season's matches 14 Y34, R0, 2.43 cards per game

Odds West Bromwich 6-1 Manchester Utd 4-7 Draw 10-3

West Bromwich

Subs from Myhill, Fortuné, Barnes, Thomas, Cox, Shorey, Miller, Méïté, Hurst, Zuiverloon, Thorne

Doubtful None

Injured Olsson (match fitness, 8 Jan)

Suspended Jara (one match), Tamas (first of three)

Form guide LLLWWL

Disciplinary record Y28 R6

Leading scorer Odemwingie 6

Manchester Utd

Subs from Amos, Kuszczak, Ferdinand, Anderson, Carrick, Rooney, Brown, Berbatov, Rafael, Giggs, Fábio, Owen, Bébé, J Evans, O'Shea

Doubtful Nani (hip), O'Shea (calf)

Injured Hargreaves (hamstring, 22 Jan), Scholes (groin, 22 Jan), Valencia (broken leg, Mar)

Suspended None

Unavailable Park (international duty)

Form guide DWWWWD

Disciplinary record Y27 R0

Leading scorer Berbatov 14

Match pointers

• United are unbeaten at home to Albion in all competitions since a 5-3 defeat in December 1978

• Albion scored twice from just two shots on target when they drew 2-2 at Old Trafford in October

• United are only the second team to go more than 15 games unbeaten at the start of a Premier League season (after Arsenal in 2003-04)

• Albion have not kept a clean sheet in the league since their second game of the season

• Dimitar Berbatov has scored eight of United's last 11 top-flight goals