Manchester United will know any kind of slipup could see them relinquish their hold on the league table, when they host West Ham in the English Premier League game Wednesday.

United provided yet another comeback victory against Queens Park Rangers on Saturday, and West Ham are expected to provide Sir Alex Ferguson's side another stiff examination as the Red Devils look to keep their one-point lead over defending champions City intact.

Ferguson was a little sympathetic of the situation surrounding Andy Carroll, after the England international failed to establish himself in the Liverpool lineups, leading to a loan move to West Ham in the summer.

"I think it's up to the boy to improve himself," Ferguson said. "I think he only played something like a dozen games for Newcastle and then he had to deal with a £35 million ($56 million) transfer to a club like Liverpool when he's young. It's quite a big jump for him you know.

"I'd certainly not sign that kind of player for that kind of money. We've gambled on young players in the past, maybe a couple of million or whatever, but when you get that level, you really have to do a bit more homework and see how he is in his second season maybe.

"It's not a lot of games that he's had. He's a big lad, a great header of the ball, aggressive and is a big bugger. You know he'll be a handful for defenders for us on Wednesday."

Ferguson will name Anderson in the starting lineup, with Nani still missing through injury.

West Ham manager Sam Allardyce knows his side will face a tough proposition in United, particularly at Old Trafford. "It is a very difficult week and we knew it was going to be tough playing three very good teams in just six days," he said. "It was especially disappointing because we underperformed on the day but we have to give Tottenham some credit however because they have some very good players and deserved to win the game.

"We have got to try and bounce back and we have been very good at doing that this season.

"We are very short on players at the moment, Mark Noble is missing through suspension and George McCartney will have a late fitness test so our squad is being pushed to the limit. We need to play the best we can and see where that takes us but like I have said before about Old Trafford you can play your best and still come away on the losing side."

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Expected lineups: Manchester United: De Gea; Evra, Evans, Ferdinand, Rafael; Carrick, Anderson; Young, Rooney, Welbeck, Van Persie.

West Ham: Jaaskelainen; O'Brien, Tomkins, Reid, McCartney; O'Neil, Diame; Jarvis, Nolan, Maiga; Carroll.

Prediction: 2-0 to United

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