PREMIER LEAGUE
Venue:
Old Trafford Date:
Saturday, 25 April Kick-off:
1730 BST
Coverage:
Score updates on Final Score, BBC Sport website and BBC Radio 5 Live; live text commentary on BBC Sport website; Highlights on Match of the Day
 Brown could make a return to United's defence
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Manchester United defender Wes Brown is in line to make his first Premier League start since October after recovering from a foot injury.
Rio Ferdinand is also set to play after being rested for the 2-0 midweek win over Portsmouth but fellow defenders Gary Neville and John O'Shea are out.
They both picked up knocks as United returned to the top of the table.
Tottenham, who are unbeaten in six games against the top four this season, look set to be without Michael Dawson.
The defender picked up an ankle injury in last weekend's 1-0 victory over Newcastle.
But his team-mate Jonathan Woodgate is confident that Spurs can continue their good run.
"You can see how well we've played against the top four," he said.
"We haven't been beaten by any of the top sides in the league this season and we have beaten Liverpool and Chelsea at home.
"Our record against the top four is impeccable."
However, Tottenham's record at Old Trafford in the Premier League is less impressive with only three draws from 16 visits.
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606: DEBATE
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And United could be fired up even more for their 1730 BST kick-off on Saturday as a victory for Liverpool, whose game at Hull starts at 1500 BST, will return them to the top of the table on goal difference.
Midfielder Michael Carrick reaffirmed United's desire to secure a third successive league title and equal Liverpool's record of 18 overall.
"We are in a good position but we will not get complacent," he said.
"There are some hard games left, starting against Tottenham, and we know Liverpool are still a threat.
"In a lot of people's eyes last week we were not going to win the title. All of a sudden the same people are now saying it is a given.
"There are a lot of matches to play and there may be more twists and turns. Hopefully there aren't but we must be ready for them."
"It is win at all costs now. If we can now beat Tottenham we really will be in a good position."
Manchester United and Tottenham face each other for the fourth time this season, and the first since the Red Devils' penalty shoot-out victory in the Carling Cup final at Wembley on 1 March, when they played 120 minutes without a goal.
By the time this Saturday evening kick off gets underway, United may have been displaced from the top of the table once again on goal difference by Liverpool. But Sir Alex Ferguson's quest for a hat-trick of league titles, an 11th Premier League crown and a record-equalling 18th English top-flight championship will still be within their grasp, with a game in hand on their rivals (away to Wigan on 13 May).
Harry Redknapp has worked wonders with Spurs, guiding them from the bottom of the table when he took over in October to the fringe of the European places. Indeed the Londoners go into this weekend's round of matches just one point behind seventh placed West Ham.
Manchester United have not lost any of their last 15 Premier League matches against Tottenham, since the Londoners' 3-1 home victory on 19 March 2001.
Spurs have never won a Premier League match at the Theatre of Dreams, and have only picked up three points from the 48 on offer there. Their most recent league victory at Old Trafford was on 16 December 1989, when Gary Lineker scored the only goal of the game for Terry Venables' team.
Harry Redknapp is keen not to become the 10th different Tottenham manager to fail to pick up three points at Old Trafford.
Distance between the clubs: 197 miles (317 kilometres)
MANCHESTER UNITED
1st 74 points
Highest achievable after Saturday's matches: 1st
Lowest could fall: 2nd
1. Won 12 Premier League matches in 2009, including the last three; more than any other club.
2. Won more Premier League matches than any other club this season (23). More details
3. Failed to score in one of the last 16.
4. This is their 58th match of the season; more than any other top-flight club.
5. Two points down on this same stage last season, when top of the table.
6. Gone 16 league games since a goalless draw; the last being away to Spurs on 13 December.
7. On the longest current sequence of 24 matches in the Premier League without a score draw; the 1-1 stalemate at Everton on 25 October being the most recent.
8. The only home points dropped this season have been courtesy of defeat to Liverpool (1-4, 14 March), and an early draw with Newcastle (1-1, 17 August).
9. Denied victory by only eight clubs in their 32 Premier League matches this season, one of which is Tottenham.
10. This match precedes the first leg of the Champions League semi-final with Arsenal at Old Trafford on Wednesday. Thereafter the league run-in is:- Middlesbrough (a), Manchester City (h), Wigan (a), Arsenal (h) and Hull (a).
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
9th 44 points
Highest achievable after Saturday's matches: 7th
Lowest could realistically fall: 10th
1. Won the last two against West Ham and Newcastle; both by 1-0 margins at home.
2. Not won three on the bounce since April Fools' Day 2007, when a 1-0 home triumph over Reading was the last in a five-match winning sequence.
3. The 2-1 defeat, away to Blackburn on 2 April is their only league loss in nine since January.
4. Four points up on this same stage last season, when they were 11th in the table - their final placing.
5. Ever-presents in the Premier League, but never finished higher than fifth (2005-06 and 2006-07) or lower than 15th, averaging a 10th placed finish.
6. Need a victory to total 1,200 wins in top-flight football.
7. Lost fewer Premier League points from winning positions than any other club; just five (one draw, one defeat).
8. Won four away league games this term. Three of those were against clubs currently in the top-half (Aston Villa, West Ham and Manchester City), and one against a bottom-half side (Hull).
10. Still to visit Liverpool on the last day of the season, 24 May. The full run-in is:- WBA (h), Everton (a), Manchester City (h) and Liverpool (a).
MANCHESTER UNITED
Edwin VAN DER SAR is leading the race for the Barclays Golden Glove with 19 clean sheets.
Cristiano RONALDO is one of three Premier League players to have scored as many as 21 club goals this season; the others are Nicolas ANELKA of Arsenal and Steve GERRARD of Liverpool.
RONALDO is Manchester United's top Premier League scorer with 15 goals, and leads the race jointly with Chelsea's Nicolas ANELKA for the Barclays Golden Boot.
Paul SCHOLES needs a double to reach 100 Premier League goals - all for United.
Ryan GIGGS is a hat-trick shy of 150 goals for Manchester United.
GIGGS has scored more Premier League goals against Tottenham than against any other club, with the exception of one. His total of seven, equals his return against Southampton.
If selected:-
GIGGS will be making his 800th appearance in Manchester United colours.
Tomasz KUSZCZAK will be making his 50th career Premier League appearance (West Brom and Manchester United).
Dimitar BERBATOV will be facing a former club. The 28 year old international forward made 102 appearances (70 in the league) and scored 46 goals (27 league) for Spurs between July 2006 and his controversial £30.75m transfer to Manchester United last September.
Michael CARRICK will be facing a former club. The 27 year old England international midfielder made 75 appearances (64 in the league) and scored two league goals for Spurs between August 2004 and his £18.6m move to Old Trafford in July 2006.
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
Darren BENT is Tottenham's top scorer of Premier League goals with 11.
If he scores:-
BENT will reach the milestone of 50 career Premier League goals.
BENT is also a hat-trick shy of 100 career league goals (Ipswich, Charlton and Tottenham).
If selected:-
GILBERTO will be playing on his 33rd birthday.
Frazier CAMPBELL is on loan from Manchester United and therefore ineligible to play.
Spurs have failed to beat Manchester United in 18 attempts in all competitions, including their three previous meetings this season.
United have won twice as many league matches against Tottenham (70) as they have lost to them (35).
The 32 Premier League matches between these clubs have yielded 83 goals. Spurs have only managed three clean sheets; both via goalless draws at Old Trafford on 15 March 1995 and 4 January 2005, and at the Lane last December.
Home and away
League (inc PL): Man United 70 wins, Spurs 35, Draws 38
Prem: Man United 23 wins, Spurs 3, Draws 7
at Man United only
League (inc PL): Man United 47 wins, Spurs 10, Draws 14
Prem: Man United 13 wins, Spurs 0, Draws 3
Manchester United 1-0 Tottenham Hotspur
25 August 2007 - Ref: Howard Webb
Man Utd scorer: Nani 68
Tottenham Hotspur 0-0 Manchester United
13 December 2008 - Ref: Mike Dean
Howard Webb (Yorkshire)
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