Man Utd v Blackpool

TEAM NEWS

Sir Alex Ferguson has confirmed Darren Fletcher, Paul Scholes, Anderson, Dimitar Berbatov and Patrice Evra will all feature for Manchester United.

Goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar, who retires after the Champions League final, will make his last Premier League appearance for the club.

Relegation-threatened Blackpool are expected to be at full strength.

Manager Ian Holloway may be tempted to stick with the team that beat Bolton, their first win since February.

Man Utd

Doubtful: O’Shea (unspecified)

Injured: Hargreaves (shoulder)

Blackpool

Injured: None

PREVIEW BY MOTD COMMENTATOR GUY MOWBRAY

Never mind that the title’s been won and that Manchester United’s team won’t be at ‘full strength’ ahead of the Champions League final – if you offered any of the other four teams that could go down a swap with Blackpool’s final-day fixture, I’m sure they wouldn’t take it.

Getting something from a visit to Old Trafford in the Premier League this season is something only West Brom have managed, and it’s highly likely that Blackpool will need more than the one point the Baggies claimed in October.

United have won their last 16 at home in all competitions, haven’t been beaten in 31, and the last ‘weak’ team they put out comfortably beat Schalke in the Champions League semi-final. Nothing to play for? The concept doesn’t exist and wouldn’t be entertained by the manager or anyone else at such a successful football club.

By contrast, Blackpool’s 4-3 win over Bolton last weekend was their first in 11 Premier League games and they haven’t won away anywhere since December. They are unbeaten in four matches, however, and those three points picked up from three draws in a row prior to last week could prove vital by the end of play Sunday.

On 22 May last year Ian Holloway’s team beat Cardiff at Wembley to reach the top flight. Exactly one year on, getting the result that keeps them there would arguably be an even greater achievement. One thing’s for certain with Blackpool – they’ll have a go!

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

• Blackpool head to Old Trafford for the first time since the 1974/75 season, when both sides were in the second tier. Manchester United beat Blackpool 4-0 en route to winning the championship, and promotion back to the top flight.
• Their last top-flight clash at Old Trafford came in 1970, a 1-1 draw. Blackpool were relegated at the end of the season.
• The Seasiders’ last victory at Manchester United was a 1-0 win in January 1962.

Man Utd

• Dimitar Berbatov has scored seven winning goals this season, more than anyone else in the league.
• The Bulgarian is tied with Carlos Tevez on 20 goals as the league’s top scorer.
• No opposition player has scored a first-half goal at Old Trafford in the Premier League this season. The last player to do so was Chelsea’s Joe Cole in April 2010.
• Sir Alex Ferguson’s side have amassed 52 points out of a possible 54 on home soil this season, and are unbeaten at Old Trafford since April 2010. A victory here would see them equal the record of 55 points at home set by Chelsea in 2005/06.
• United have won 14 consecutive Premier League matches at Old Trafford. If they beat Blackpool it will set a Premier League record, moving one ahead of Newcastle (14) from May 1995 to February 1996.

Blackpool

• Ian Holloway was part of the QPR team that won 4-1 at Old Trafford on New Year’s Day in 1992.
• Sunday is a year to the day since Blackpool won promotion to the Premier League via their play-off final victory against Cardiff.
• Last weekend’s 4-3 defeat of Bolton was Blackpool’s first victory in 11 games since February. But they are unbeaten in their last four.
• Blackpool have conceded 74 goals this season – more than any Premier League club.

LEADING GOALSCORERS

Man Utd

Berbatov: 21 goals (20 league); Hernandez: 20 goals (13 league)

Blackpool

Campbell: 14 goals* (14 league); Adam: 12 goals (11 league)

*Includes 1 goal (1 league) for Leicester

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Mike Dean

Assistant referees: Peter Kirkup & Dean Mohareb

Fourth official: Mike Jones

LAST LEAGUE MATCH LINE-UPS

Man Utd (D1-1 v Blackburn, a): Kuszczak, Fabio Da Silva (Scholes 62), Ferdinand, Vidic, Evans, Valencia, Giggs, Carrick, Nani (Berbatov 80), Rooney, Hernandez. Subs not used: Amos, Evra, Owen, Anderson, Smalling.

Blackpool (W4-3 v Bolton, h): Gilks, Eardley, Evatt, Baptiste, Crainey, Southern, Adam (Cathcart 88), Vaughan, Taylor-Fletcher (Ormerod 82), Campbell, Puncheon (Beattie 81). Subs not used: Kingson, Harewood, Phillips, Reid.