Venue Old Trafford, Saturday 3pm

Tickets Sold out

Last season Man Utd 1 Fulham 0

Referee Kevin Friend

This season's matches 1 Y6, R1, 7.00 cards per game

Odds Man Utd 2-7 Fulham 9-1 Draw 4-1

 

Manchester United

Subs from Lindegaard, Giggs, Berbatov, Hernández, Nani, Welbeck, Anderson, Powell, Macheda, Bébé, Young, Buttner

Doubtful None

Injured Evans (ankle, 2 Sep), Ferdinand (calf, 2 Sep), Jones (back, 15 Sep), Smalling (metatarsal, Oct)

Suspended None

Form guide L

Disciplinary record Y2 R0

Leading scorer n/a

Fulham

Subs from Etheridge, Somogyi, Stockdale, Baird, Kelly, Briggs, Grygera, Kacaniklic, Halliche, Kasami, Bangna, Rodallega, Trotta

Doubtful Grygera (knee)

Injured Frei (pelvis, 2 Sep), Senderos (foot, 2 Sep), Davies (neck, 15 Sep)

Suspended None

Unavailable Dempsey (unsettled)

Form guide W

Disciplinary record Y0 R0

Leading scorer Petric 2

Match pointers

• United won the title in two of the past three seasons in which they lost their opening game (1992-93 and 1995-96) 

• Fulham have lost on their past eight top-flight visits to Old Trafford, failing to score in the last five 

• United have conceded seven goals in their last 12 league matches – five of them coming in two games against Everton 

• Fulham had more shots on target (nine) than any other side in this season's opening round of matches 

• Wayne Rooney has scored four goals in his past three league games against Fulham

Evans help us

JONNY EVANS is set to come to the rescue of Manchester United’s ailing back four tomorrow.

Evans missed Monday’s 1-0 defeat at Everton when United used Michael Carrick at centre-back.

Now, after training all week, Northern Ireland international Evans is ready to start at Old Trafford against Fulham.

He will partner captain Nemanja Vidic, who made his first competitive start on Monday after a long injury lay-off.

Evans, 24, missed the final three games of last season with a foot injury.

He needed ankle surgery in the summer but has stepped up his training.

Manager Alex Ferguson needs him too with Phil Jones and Chris Smalling out injured and Rio Ferdinand battling back from a groin strain.

Ferdinand also hopes to be fit for the weekend but Evans has a better chance.

United need to get back on track quickly with Chelsea already on six points and champions Manchester City getting off to a winning start.

Robin van Persie will be making his home debut as a United player after his substitute appearance at Goodison failed to turn the tide of the game.

Big cuts in Nani state

NAN'S BREAD ... winger is asking for less

NANI is offering to drop his wage demands in an attempt to save his future at Manchester United.

The Portuguese winger and his advisors are willing to accept his basic wage stays the same while the rest is made up by bonuses.

SunSport revealed on Wednesday how his prospects are in the balance at Old Trafford. He will be axed for tomorrow’s home game against Fulham after his poor showing in the 1-0 defeat by Everton at Goodison Park on Monday night.

That came on the back of a bad end to last season for Nani, which was why initial demands for a new contract were rejected out of hand by United.

Nani has two years left on his £90,000-a-week deal but wanted that boosted by nearly 50 per cent to more than £130,000.

United told the player’s representatives to forget it and have not gone back with an offer.

Now nervous Nani is ready to drop the demands.

He wants to keep his basic the same and accept around £30,000 for each appearance.

Those close to Nani fear the contract dispute may be affecting his form and he has thought about a move.

But the club would not sell unless they were offered more than £25million.

Nani needs to get back to the form that made him one of manager Alex Ferguson’s favourites.

Fergie chose him ahead of Ashley Young on Monday.

Again he disappointed, getting booked early, failing to create a decent chance and being subbed by Young with 12 minutes left.

Young will start against Fulham tomorrow.

Kop in Dempsey ‘tap-up’ storm

ANGRY Fulham last night took Liverpool to a Premier League tribunal for allegedly tapping up Clint Dempsey.

Liverpool were left red-faced after accidentally “announcing” they had agreed a deal for the American in the newsfeed on the official website of Anfield owners Fenway Sports Group.

The Premier League confirmed Liverpool have been asked to explain their actions and could face sanctions.

A statement read: “The Premier League has received a complaint from Fulham regarding certain comments made by Liverpool officials and is looking into the matter.”

Fulham also claim comments by Kop boss Brendan Rodgers have helped unsettle their 29-year-old star and the Premier League board, which convened last week, accepted Liverpool have a case to answer.

The Reds have to respond over the next fortnight and the Premier League board will decide next month whether to refer the case to a three-man independent panel.

Top officials told SunSport last night that this case is not as blatant as the infamous tap-up row between Arsenal and Chelsea over the transfer of Ashley Cole six years ago.

The Blues were fined £300,000 and copped a suspended three-point deduction.

Dempsey-gate began when an initial £5million offer was rejected even though the player has only one year left on his contract.

Fulham have been demanding £9m but Rodgers has refused to meet the asking price.

It is understood the saga could be drawing to a close as the Reds were set to go back in with an improved £7.5m bid.

Fulham are hoping to replace Dempsey with the £3.5m capture of Arsenal misfit Park Chu-Young.

The South Korea striker, 27, knows he has no future at the Emirates.

Audition: Wigan forward Victor Moses (left) in action against Chelsea last Sunday

Transfer saga: Moses' protracted move has rumbled on for most of the summer

Where will he go? Liverpool are now leading the race to sign Nuri Sahin ahead of Arsenal

Pirates defender plundered Thabiso Nkoana's family silver with a kick directly between his legs and was then shown a red card

 

During a cup semi-final between Orlando Pirates and SuperSport United in South Africa Orlando defender Rooi Mahamutsa was sent off despite getting the ball - both of them.

The Pirates defender plundered Thabiso Nkoana's family silver with a kick directly between his legs and was shown a red card.

Even more amusing is Mahamutsa's incredulity at the referee's decision to dismiss him.

Maybe he was brought up in an area everybody is used to a hard tackle?

United front: Alexander Buttner has completed his £3.9million to Manchester United from Vitesse Arnhem

Bring it on: Emmanuel Adebayor has secured a permanent move to Spurs

Despite spending three and a half years at bitter rivals Arsenal, Adebayor became a fans' favourite at Tottenham last season, mainly because he scored 18 goals and struck up a sound understanding with Rafael van der Vaart while on loan at the London club.

The Togo hitman vowed to continue his goal-scoring spree at the club on Tuesday after sealing his return to Spurs.

'I'm back!!!! Tottenham here I come!! I'm hungry for goals...Get ready,' Adebayor tweeted.

Arsenal old boy: Adebayor won over Spurs fans with 18 goals last season

 

 

'I am pleased to be signing for Spurs on a permanent basis after finally agreeing my departure with Manchester City,' he added later on Spurs' website.

'It may have taken longer than expected but I am delighted to be back at Tottenham Hotspur.

'I really enjoyed my time here last season and I am hoping we can achieve great things together again.'

Adebayor spent three years at City but fell out of favour upon Robert Mancini's appointment as manager and spent the last year and a half on loan at Real Madrid and Spurs.

With 10 days to go until the close of the transfer window, Villas-Boas is starting to put the finishing touches to the squad he wants to win a trophy this season.

Adebayor joined on the same day Spurs sold out-of-favour centre-back Sebastien Bassong to Norwich and it may not be long before another Tottenham defender, Michael Dawson, leaves the club after QPR made a bid for the England international on Tuesday.

Two's company: Jermain Defoe (centre right) has a strike partner at last

 

 

Although he is the club's captain, Dawson was left out of the squad that travelled to Newcastle at the weekend, hinting that the centre-back may be surplus to requirements under Villas-Boas.

There is likely to be further transfer activity at White Hart Lane before the window shuts.

Tom Huddlestone has been linked with a loan move to Stoke and fellow squad players David Bentley and Giovani Dos Santos may depart.

Tottenham also remain in talks with Real Madrid over the protracted sale of Luka Modric.

Villas-Boas will also be looking to add to Tottenham's ranks, with Manchester City midfielder Adam Johnson the latest player to be linked with the north London outfit.

United front: Alexander Buttner has completed his £3.9million to Manchester United from Vitesse Arnhem

 

 

On his way: Alexander Buttner arrives for his Manchester United medical

 

 

Close shave: Buttner shows off his tight trim as he arrives for his tests

FA shun Pard-on for push

SHOVE OFF ... Alan Pardew faces three-match ban

 

 

 

ALAN PARDEW is set to be hit with a three-match touchline ban today after pushing assistant referee Stuart Burt on Saturday.

Pards was sent to the stands in the second half of Toon’s 2-1 win over Spurs for laying his hands on Burt.

The angry Toon boss had claimed his side was due a throw-in after Spurs defender Benoit Assou-Ekotto had dragged the ball over the line.

The Newcastle manager admitted he was stupid but Wembley chiefs are set to punish him with a ban of at least three matches following the 57th minute flashpoint.

Pardew went mad at Burt, leaving ref Martin Atkinson with no option but to send him to the stands.

FA chiefs will examine Atkinson’s report today and Pardew said: “I’m still embarrassed about what I did. I’ve never done anything like that before.

“I’ve apologised to him and I can’t really do any more than that.”

Marching orders: Agger leaves the pitch after being shown a straight red

Dream move: Alexander Buttner is set to join Manchester United

• Vitesse Arnhem player moves as back-up to Patrice Evra
• Transfer causes some surprise in Holland

United swoop for £4m Butt

Recruitment drive: Arsenal will land Nuri Sahin on loan from Real Madrid

Luka deal in Real danger

LUKA MODRIC fears his dream £35million move to Real Madrid could collapse.

Angry Spurs have told the midfielder they will not sell him on the cheap.

The sensational development comes after a stormy exchange between Real boss Jose Mourinho and Spurs chief Daniel Levy.

A meeting on Friday to thrash out a deal for the Croatian ace ended with Mourinho in a rage after Levy asked for another £2m at the last minute.

Now ex-Chelsea boss Mourinho is set to pull the plug and look elsewhere leaving Modric devastated.

A source close to the Croat said: “Luka is shocked by all of this. He is desperate for the move to go through and wants it sorted.”