West Ham vs Manchester United: Predictions, Preview, Team News, Injuries and Expected Lineups of English Premier League Game

Apr 16, 2013 03:32 AM EDT

Manchester United will want to maintain their 15-point dominance at the top of the English Premier League, when they travel to West Ham Wednesday.

United increased their lead back to 15 after their standard 2-0 win over a toothless Stoke City Sunday, and with Manchester City also playing Wednesday, the Red Devils will be aiming for another three points.

Sir Alex Ferguson is a stickler for perfection, and he will want the rest of the six games remaining in the season to be perfect, as United go for a record points haul.

Chelsea are the current holders of that record, having managed 95 in the 2004-05 season. United, if they win all their six games will reach 98 points, so even five wins and a draw will do.

"We are in a great position," Rooney said. "But we have to make sure we move on and push ourselves over that line.

"The manager (told us before Stoke) that the season started today and we've now got six to go - we have to go for all of them. If we win them all, we get a record in our pockets, so it's a good aim, a nice target for all of us to achieve."

Robin Van Persie finally got on the scoresheet for the first time in ten games, slotting home a penalty, and the Dutchman now wants to carry that form into the final few games, with that points target firmly in mind.

"We don't just want to try and win the league by getting the points we need, we want to get maximum points now from the games remaining," he said. "It's important that you keep a run of wins going and that's what we want to do."

United will again be without Ashley Young, Paul Scholes and Chris Smalling, with Ferguson likely to make a few changes to his starting lineup.

Sam Allardyce has plenty of concerns in defence, with Winston Reid, James Tomkins and George McCartney major doubts, while Mark Noble remains sidelined.

West Ham are on 38 points from 33 games, and cannot say they are entirely safe, with just seven points separating them and third bottom Wigan, who have also played a game less.

The Hammers have only managed to draw their last two matches, but the form of Andy Carroll is a plus point going into the game against United.

Carroll, when he is in the mood, is an absolute nuisance for the opposing defenders, and with Sam Allardyce always preferring his side to play in a direct style, there will be no shortage of long balls and crosses into the United box.

Expected lineups: West Ham: Jaaskelainen; Demel, Collins, Pogatetz, O'Brien; Diame, O'Neil; Jarvis, Nolan, Vaz Te; Carroll.

Manchester United: De Gea; Rafael, Evans, Jones, Evra; Valencia, Carrick, Giggs, Welbeck; Rooney, Van Persie.

Prediction: 2-0 to Manchester United

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