Stoke City: Vital statistics
PREVIOUS MEETING
October 6, 1993
Man Utd 2 (Sharpe 47, McClair 85)
Stoke City 0
ONE look at United's line-up tells you Sir Alex was taking no chances with this second round Coca Cola Cup tie after losing the first leg 2-1 at the Victoria Ground.
Stoke defended stoically enough to reach the break scoreless at Old Trafford. Lee Sharpe nosed United in front on the night, levelling the tie 2-2 on aggregate, and it wasn't until the closing stages that Brian McClair struck to end City's hopes.
But it was still a proud night for thousands of travelling fans and manager Lou Macari on his return to a familiar old stamping ground.
Man Utd: Schmeichel, Irwin, Martin, Bruce, Pallister, Sharpe, Robson, Keane, Kanchelskis, McClair, Hughes.
Stoke: Muggleton, Clarkson, Cowan, Cranson, Overson, Orlygsson, Gynn, Foley, Gleghorn, Stein, Sturridge.
Attendance: 41,387.
FORM GUIDE
Man Utd: WWDLW
Stoke: LWWDW
WHO WE'D LIKE TO SIGN
Rooney, Ronaldo and Berbatov would all look good on the Stoke bench.
WHO TO BOO
A toss up between Rooney and Ronaldo, you feel, depending on who moans first to the referee.
MAN IN THE MIDDLE
Mark Halsey (Lancs): Fresh from officiating in Stoke's Carling Cup clash this week, he is curiously chosen to referee them again just four days later. Surely some administrative error?
PROBABLE TEAMS
Man Utd: Van der Sar, Neville, O'Shea, Ferdinand, Vidic, Carrick, Anderson, Fletcher, Ronaldo, Rooney, Berbatov.
Stoke: Sorensen, Griffin, Higginbotham, Shawcross, Ab Faye, Olofinjana, Diao, Am Faye, Delap, Sidibe, Fuller.
PREDICTION
Stoke defend valiantly and miss a couple of opening themselves before Ronaldo's wayward shot is deflected home past Thomas Sorensen to inflict late heartbreak on City.
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