Sir Alex Ferguson says Wayne Rooney will probably be among the substituteson Saturday, the Manchester United striker preparing to make his first appearance since the mutinous contract dispute that made him richer by bank balance but a good sight poorer when it comes to reputation. Rooney or not, anything but a straightforward home victory would represent a considerable surprise, even if Dimitar Berbatov has been distinctly off-form since his hat-trick against Liverpool and Ferguson admitted in midweek they could have lost by six at Aston Villa last Saturday. Daniel Taylor

Venue Old Trafford, Saturday 3pm

Tickets £27-49 (0161 868 8000)

Last season Manchester Utd 5 Wigan 0

Referee M Atkinson

This season's matches 10 Y34, R5, 3.90 cards per game

Odds Manchester Utd 1-4 Wigan 14-1 Draw 11-2

Manchester United

Subs from Amos, Kuszczak, Fletcher, O'Shea, Gibson, Anderson, Obertan, Smalling, Giggs, Fábio, Rafael, Bebé, Macheda, J Evans, Neville, Rooney

Doubtful Ferdinand (groin), Giggs (hamstring), Rafael (dead leg), Rooney (ankle), Smalling (groin)

Injured Owen (hamstring, 4 Dec), Hargreaves (hamstring, 19 Dec), Valencia (broken leg, Mar)

Suspended None

Form guide DDWWWD

Disciplinary record Y24 R0

Leading scorer Berbatov 6

Wigan

Subs from Kirkland, Boselli, McArthur, Watson, Golobart, Di Santo, Figueroa, Mustoe, McManaman

Doubtful None

Injured Boyce (hamstring, 27 Nov), Pollitt (elbow, 4 Dec), G Caldwell (thigh, 11 Dec), McCarthy (ankle, Jan)

Suspended None

Ineligible Cleverley (terms of loan)

Form guide WDLLDD

Disciplinary record Y17 R0

Leading scorer Rodallega 4

Match pointers

• United have won all 11 matches they have played against Wigan in all competitions, scoring 35 goals and conceding four

• Wigan have the worst chance conversion rate this term (7%); United's is the best (17%)

• 87% of the goals United have conceded have been in the second half, the highest proportion in the league

• Hugo Rodallega has had 31 shots on target this season – the most in the division

• Wayne Rooney has scored nine goals in 11 games in all competitions against Wigan and four in his last four