Manchester United - West Bromwich Albion Preview: Owen Hargreaves could make bench as Wayne Rooney returns to the fold

Sir Alex Ferguson is expected to welcome back veteran duo Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes to the fold after they shook off injuries. Wayne Rooney's declaration of match fitness should see him selected to start unless the fall out from the revelation extends to the team sheet.

News of knee pain for Park Ji-Sung on international duty could see the South Korean miss the cut. Owen Hargreaves long-awaited return could see a place granted on the substitute's bench. Possible starting XI: Van der Sar; Rafael, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra; Nani, Scholes, Anderson, Giggs; Berbatov, Rooney.Roberto Di Matteo will have his fingers crossed that top scorer Peter Odemwingie can declare himself fit after he picked up a knee injury. Reserve striker Ishmael Miller faces a race against time to be on standby to deputise with a thigh strain.

Youngster Joe Mattock could also return to the first team fold after an extended spell on the treatment table with the same injury.

Slovakia international Marek Cech is unavailable with a damaged ankle.

Possible starting XI: Carson; Jara, Olsson, Pablo, Shorey; Brunt, Mulumbu, Scharner, Dorrans, Morrison; Odemwingie.

Home comforts

Manchester United are looking to get back on the Premier League pace after the disappointing 0-0 draw with Sunderland before the international break.

The stalemate at the Stadium of Light left the club in third place in the table, five points behind leaders Chelsea and one place behind bitter rivals Manchester City.

Manager Sir Alex Ferguson comes into tomorrow's West Bromwich Albion clash with the media glare centred on his reportedly fractious relationship with Wayne Rooney. The intrigue from the out of form striker's contradictory statements about an ankle injury will only be defused by a flurry of goals.

In better news, injury plagued midfielder Owen Hargreaves is believed to be on the cusp of his first appearance at the Theatre of Dreams in two years after being given the all clear by surgeon Dr Richard Steadman.

United's perfect home record will be expected to be extended against West Bromwich Albion. Another setback would see Chelsea disappear further into the horizon.

Buoyant Baggies

West Brom have shot to sixth place in the standings and are in no mood to be cowed into submission.

The 1-1 draw with Bolton Wanderers a fortnight ago has seen Roberto Di Matteo enjoy a stunning introduction to top flight management. Expected to be headed straight back to the Championship, the Baggies have lacked the praise they deserve after Blackpool's similarly impressive opening stole the headlines.

The spine of this challenge has come at the Hawthorns. Away from home, a haul of just three points hints at a difficult afternoon in the north west.

The memories of the 6-0 thrashing on the opening day may still be in the mind of the Italian's troops. Furthermore, the Baggies will be fighting against more than 30 years of history since they last took the spoils at Old Trafford. West Brom have made a mockery of the pre-season predictions of doom thus far. Another fine result would be the greatest upset of all.

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Manchester United fans unveil plans for mass protest march against Glazers before Tottenham match on October 30

Manchester United supporters have unveiled plans for a mass protest march against the Glazer family later this month, Goal.com UK can reveal. It will take place before the club’s televised home Premier League match against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday, October 30.

The fresh anti-Glazer protests have been sparked by the club’s latest annual figures, which revealed last Friday that United had record losses of £83.6 million despite posting record turnover and operating profit figures.

Organisers say the march has been timed not only to build on the increasing anger among supporters towards the American owners but also the momentum of last season’s ‘Green and Gold’ campaign.

“The results have come out and they’re not pretty,” said a spokesman for United Against Glazer, which has launched a website and a Facebook page under the same name. “The idea behind it is to get the momentum going again after last season.

“We all know the figures by now, how the Glazers have taken £500m out of the club since taking it over in 2005. I don’t know how sustainable these figures are but they are unacceptable.

“The thing for me is that two years ago Paul Scholes started around half the games. Now he is a first-team shoo-in.

"We bought Bebe for nearly £8m when we could have had Rafael van der Vaart at the same price, but I’m sure we wouldn’t pay the wages.

"We are supposed to have £160m in cash but I’d be amazed if the Glazers haven’t got their eyes on that.”

The march, which organisers stress is nothing to do with anti-Glazer organisations Manchester United Supporters’ Trust and the Independent Manchester United Supporters Association, will begin at the Tollgate pub in Manchester at 4.15pm and take in a mile-long route that includes Lancashire Cricket Club before ending up at Sir Matt Busby Way just outside Old Trafford.

Although there were two off-the-cuff protest marches last season, organisers say this one will be more concerted. “The police and relevant authorities have all been informed,” added the spokesman. “It will be really professional and a demonstration of our anger at the Glazer regime.”

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Manchester United's Sir Alex Ferguson comes under friendly fire from Jose Mourinho

Such affection from the former Chelsea manager seems hard to equate given the pair's fractious relationship during his time at Stamford Bridge. The two repeatedly clashed in the Portuguese's last full season in England in 2007, with Ferguson accusing Mourinho of being "on a personal crusade" to cost United points, only for the Scot to be told that his belief that "other people are stupid" is "not a good quality". But Mourinho has now told sports network, Gol TV: "Among all the coaches in football I can say that Ferguson is my best friend."

To be fair, the Portuguese has always been at pains to point out his respect for Ferguson, stating that it was the United manager's tradition of sharing a glass of wine with an opponent after a game which dictated his approach to life in the Premier League. Their apparent rapprochement will only serve to strengthen the impression that Mourinho is Ferguson's most likely successor at Old Trafford when the 68 year-old eventually elects to retire from football.

It is a view likely to be reinforced by Mourinho's continuing tendency to express his admiration for the Premier League. "I prefer [to manage in] England," he said. "I think that in Portugal, Italy and Spain there are some fans who prefer the day before and day after a match rather than the match itself."

Ferguson, meanwhile, appears to be stepping up his attempts to sign a new goalkeeper as cover for Edwin van der Sar after Danish international Anders Lindegaard admitted the United manager was interested in signing him.

The 26 year-old, currently with the Norwegian side Aalesunds, said: "I know there is interest from United. It is not just coming from the media."

Ferguson has also dispatched scouts to track the progress of Dutch international Maarten Stekelenburg, the Ajax player, and Manuel Neuer, the German international currently at Schalke. He has also been linked with Igor Akinfeev, the Russian goalkeeper, after he impressed for CSKA Moscow against United last season.

United will again have a reduced ticket allocation for their Manchester derby clash with City at Eastlands on Nov 10.

City officials cut United's allocation by 10 per cent for last season's encounter in April after deciding to take action over the persistent standing of their fans.

In confirming their neighbours would again receive just over 2,500 tickets, City officials are stressing it is a club policy that has been used against other sides, including Liverpool and Newcastle already this season.

United have had similar issues in the past and had allocations cut at Middlesbrough, plus at Sunderland and Bolton this season.

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Manchester United manger Sir Alex Ferguson says Dimitar Berbatov responded to pep talk

Two years after leaving Tottenham Hotspur for United in a £30.75 million club-record transfer, Berbatov has finally started to justify his price tag this season, scoring seven goals in all competitions. The Bulgarian had struggled to make an impact at Old Trafford, with Ferguson overlooking him for the majority of United's pivotal fixtures last term. But the United manager believes that Berbatov has now come to terms with the demands of playing for the club.

Ferguson said: "I just had a word with him at the start of the campaign. I told him: 'Look, only you can solve this conundrum. You're the one in control here. You've got fantastic ability and you need to realise that ability and make the most of it. We'll be here to support you.'"He has started the season in terrific form for us. Dimitar has been, without doubt, our star forward.

"When you bring a player to Manchester United, not everybody takes to the situation straight away. Not all signings become hits overnight. "Nobody's ever doubted the ability of the lad, but what we're seeing now is a striker who's playing with belief and confidence."All strikers are massively reliant on those two factors and, at the moment, Berbatov has both." Blackpool manager Ian Holloway has been given a one-match touchline ban and £9,500 for his language and behaviour towards match officials after his team's game against Blackburn Rovers on Sept 25.

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Manchester United defender Chris Smalling says playing with Rio Ferdinand is 'a joy'

Ferdinand might only have played five times for Manchester United since Smalling arrived from Fulham in July, but his influence and general aura have clearly already been an inspiration. “Whether he puts on that captain's armband or it is just in training, he is leading the team,” said Smalling.

“He has been a real joy to be alongside. The stature of the guy is something to look up to. He is so friendly at the training ground every day. He has eased me in really well and hopefully I will have many more games with him at Manchester United. He has built up that presence over the years and he is just very commanding. I cannot be in a better atmosphere to be learning my trade.” Specifically, Smalling says Ferdinand’s composure is infectious and also praises how he has taught him to be “the eyes” of the central midfielders.

That vocal assistance was clearly evident in Smalling’s performance for the England Under-21 team on Friday night in their European Championship play-off against Romania when he could be seen constantly advising and cajoling midfielders Fabrice Muamba and Jordan Henderson. Smalling also demonstrated his composure by scoring the late winner in a 2-1 victory that leaves the overall tie in the balance ahead of tomorrow’s second leg in Botosani.

“A lot of us are trying to progress into our clubs and playing in a pressure game like this is definitely going to stand us in good stead,” said Smalling. “Hopefully we can play in that tournament next summer because that will be a once in a lifetime experience for a lot of us young lads. I have played a couple of games for Manchester United and the manager has been really happy with my performances and he has said I would get chances along the way. I definitely see myself playing a lot of games this season.”

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Wayne Rooney labelled 'a bit crass' by Manchester United teammate Macheda

Federico Macheda has taken a lighthearted dig at fellow Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney, calling him "a really good person" but "a bit crass."In an interview with Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport on Thursday, Macheda said Rooney always "gives me advice."But the 19-year-old Macheda also said his teammate is a bit of a "coatto," a Roman slang word used to describe someone who is working class and vulgar.

Rooney has endured a rocky few months on and off the pitch. The England striker struggled at the World Cup and recently conceded that rumours about his private life may have contributed to his poor form this season.

The 24-year-old, who scored 34 goals last term, has netted only one — a penalty — in five games for Manchester United so far this season.

Despite Rooney's form, Macheda is still being used mainly as a substitute by United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, but the Italy under-21 international denied reports that he could return to former club Lazio, which tops the Serie A table. "I want to grow in Manchester and when I'm ready I can make those choices," Macheda said.

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