Stoke City host Manchester United at the Britannia Stadium in the Capital One Cup Quarter final encounter on Wednesday night. The Red Devils have perhaps ended their recent struggles in the Premier League having produced a sublime 3-0 win over Aston Villa on Sunday. Danny Welback scored a brace while Tom Cleverley grabbed the third as the Premier League’s defending Champions finally showed their mettle and signs of recovery. Stoke meanwhile come into the game after a frustrating scoreless draw against Hull City in the weekend which saw them drop to 13thin the Premier League table.
While David Moyes’ side will now face Olympiakos in the last 16 of the Champions League as the draw revealed on Monday, but have to take care of Stoke first, in order to bid for any silverware this campaign. These same two teams last met in a feisty encounter in the Premier League, which United managed to somehow beat the Potters by the slimmest of margins (3-2) in a fascinating match. Stoke, hence will be up for the challenge and their vociferous set of supporters will surely cheer their home team in a hostile Britannia stadium, in a chilly December night.
Moyes is expected to drop some of his regular starters and will be keen to give his fringe players some game time, however he has to take care of the numerous injuries the squad currently has including star striker Robin Van Persie and Mexican Javier Hernandez to the ever growing list of names on the United treatment table. Elsewhere midfielder Darren Fletcher made his first league appearance for the Red Devils in almost a year after recovering from a chronic bowel condition, which gives Moyes an additional option to look into.
So what will be United’s starting eleven against Stoke?