Match Preview: Manchester United Vs Cardiff City

 

Date, time and coverage: Sunday 24 November, 16:00 GMT. The match will be shown live on Sky Sports in the UK. Follow ManUtd.com's live blog and MUTV Online's exclusive radio commentary.

Form guide: United are unbeaten in nine games in all competitions following the stirring 1-0 win over Arsenal which came before the break in the domestic programme for the latest round of international games. Cardiff have been unable to string together a good sequence of results, losing last time out at Aston Villa having stayed unbeaten for the two games beforehand. Having shocked Man City with a fine 3-2 victory in August, Malky Mackay's side did not win at home until they beat Swansea on 3 November. 

Ins and outs: Michael Carrick is recovering from an Achilles tendon injury, while Danny Welbeck’s absence with a knee problem is likely to continue. Phil Jones pulled out of the England squad last weekend with an injury picked up in the defeat to Chile. Cardiff's Danish striker Andreas Cornelius is hoping to return from the ankle injury that has kept the 20-year-old on the sidelines since August.

Betting: The Reds are a short-priced 1.60 to win at the Cardiff City Stadium, with hosts a slightly more distant 5.50. The draw is 3.75, but as ever our official betting partner bwin have a range of tempting offers, including 34.00 on Adnan Januzaj scoring first in a 2-0 win for United.

Last meeting: The two clubs have not faced each other since 1st March, 1975, when United hammered the Bluebirds 4-0 as they closed in on the Second Division title. Stewart Houston, Lou Macari, Sammy McIlroy and Stuart Pearson hit the net for Tommy Docherty's exciting young side at Old Trafford that day.

Did you know? United legend Duncan Edwards was told by Sir Matt Busby he would make his debut against Cardiff, while aged just 16 in April 1953, after sweeping the stands at Old Trafford on the day before the match.

The manager: Malky Mackay took over as Cardiff manager in June 2011, piloting them to the Carling Cup Final in his first season in charge. A year later the former Celtic, Norwich, West Ham and Watford defender guided the Welsh club back into the top flight for the first time in 51 years as winners of the Championship.

Star man: Chilean holding midfielder Gary Medel, Cardiff's record signing for £11m, seems perfectly suited to the rough and tumble of the Premier League and also impressed for his country when they comfortably saw off England at Wembley last week.

Quote/unquote: "I will not change the aggression in my game. English football is great. In Spain, if you breathe you get a yellow card. Here it is more intense physically. I like to be intense, I love to win the tackles. I will not change that." - Cardiff's Gary Medel.

Whistle-blower: Lancashire's Neil Swarbrick last took charge of the Reds in the 4-0 win over Norwich in March, issuing four yellow cards all to the Canaries.

Rivals watch: League leaders Arsenal face Southampton at 3pm on Saturday, following Liverpool's lunchtime meeting with Everton at Goodison Park. Chelsea take on West Ham in the Saturday tea-time fixture, while Man City's home date with Spurs will just have finished when United kick off in Cardiff.