On-loan striker Loic Remy is unsure of his future with Newcastle, while Liverpool's Daniel Sturridge and Steven Gerrard are nearing a return.
Arsenal, who have the best shooting accuracy in the top flight, face Cardiff with the worst, while Liverpool have hit the woodwork 16 times.
TEAMtalk takes a look at all the key statistics ahead of the New Year's Day Premier League fixtures with Arsenal travelling to Cardiff looking to build on their impressive 54.5% shooting accuracy.
Liverpool, who take on Hull, have hit the woodwork twice as often as any other side, while Wayne Rooney has scored seven Premier League goals against Spurs in his last six starts against them.
Man City have scored a league-high 29 second-half goals in the Premier League this season and discover which high-flying side have conceded a league-high 37% of their goals from set-pieces.
Swansea City v Manchester City (12.45pm)
Swansea conceded 15 shots on target in their first ever Barclays Premier League game (against Man City in August 2011), a game they lost 4-0.
The Citizens have kept five clean sheets in their last six league meetings with Swansea City.
Manchester City have won four Barclays Premier League games in a row, they have not won 5+ in a row within a single season since a spell of six wins won them the title in 2011-12.
Arsenal are the only team to record Premier League five wins in a row so far in 2013-14 (Aug-Sept).
Swansea took only 39 points from 37 Premier League games in 2013. They won 55 from 39 games in 2012.
Jesus Navas has made three assists and scored one goal in his last four Premier League appearances.
Man City have scored 29 second-half goals in the Premier League this season; a league-high.
Swansea City have scored only four goals in their last five Premier League games.
Manchester City need two goals in this game to match the best goal total recorded by a Premier League team after 20 games (56 by Man City in 2011-12)
Nine teams have won more away points in the Premier League than Manchester City (11) this season.
Arsenal v Cardiff City
Arsenal are unbeaten in the last 12 matches in all competitions against Cardiff City, winning seven and drawing five.
Cardiff are unbeaten in three league trips to Arsenal (W1 D2), though the most recent of these came back in 1962.
Arsenal have only scored 16 times in nine Premier League home games this season.
Only Everton have conceded as few goals as Arsenal (18) this season in the top-flight.
Only 18 different players have started a Premier League game for Cardiff this season, fewer than at any other Premier League club.
Arsenal have the best shooting accuracy (54.5%) and Cardiff the worst (35.7%) in the Premier League this season.
Cardiff have fashioned more attempts from indirect free-kick moves than any other side this season (20 - almost three times as many as Arsenal (7)
Arsenal's substitutes have provided four assists this season, more than any other team.
The Gunners have conceded fewer fouls than any other Premier League team this season (184) but seven clubs have received fewer yellow cards.
Of the seven players to have picked up a league-high six yellow cards in the Premier League this season, Mathieu Flamini has committed the fewest fouls (13).
Crystal Palace v Norwich City
Crystal Palace are unbeaten in 13 home league meetings with Norwich City (W9 D4).
Canaries ace Gary Hooper completed all 32 passes in the reverse fixture with Crystal Palace this season.
Crystal Palace are the only team yet to win a point from a losing position in the Premier League this season; losing all 13 games that they,ve been behind in.
Despite Palace being outside the relegation zone, no team has lost more games than the Eagles (13).
Norwich have lost their last two games in a row. It's the third time this has happened this season but they are yet to lose three in a row.
Palace have lost three of their last four games but have taken nine points from their last six (W3 L3).
Norwich have made more goalline clearances than any other side (8) in the Premier League this season.
Only four teams in Premier League history have recorded fewer goals in their opening 19 games than Crystal Palace have this season (12).
Norwich have won only two of their last 23 Premier League away games in London (D6 L15).
Palace (9) only gained two points fewer than league leaders Arsenal (11) in December.
Fulham v West Ham United
Fulham didn't manage a single shot on target against West Ham United in the reverse fixture in November.
Carlton Cole has scored seven goals in his last nine Premier League games against Fulham.
Fulham have conceded the first goal of the game more often than any other Premier League side (14).
Fulham have leaked 15 goals in their last four Premier League games.
West Ham have conceded nine goals in their last three Premier League games (exactly three in each match).
Fulham have conceded 11 goals in London derbies this season - more than any other side.
Fulham (16 points) are two points better off than they were at this point in 2007-08 (14 points), when they eventually recovered to finish 17th.
West Ham have one point fewer (15) than they did at this point in 2010-11 (16) when they were last relegated from the Premier League.
Fulham are looking for their 25th victory in Premier League London derbies (W24 D31 L58).
Since the start of last season, Fulham have won just 18% of games that Dimitar Berbatov has not started (2 of 11), compared to 30% when he has (14 of 46).
Liverpool v Hull City
Liverpool have won seven and lost none of eight previous home games against the Tigers in all competitions, scoring at least twice on every occasion.
Hull City's victory over Liverpool in December was their first victory over the Reds in any competition, ever (D4 L12).
Hull City have scored as many goals in their past two Premier League games (8) as they had in the previous 10.
Liverpool have scored at least three goals in each of their last six Premier League home games.
Luis Suarez has scored 13 goals in his last five Premier League home games.
13 different players have scored for Hull this season, no team has seen a wider spread.
Only four teams have scored 5+ goals in a Premier League game this season, Liverpool and Hull are two of them (along with Man City and Newcastle).
Liverpool have made fewer substitutions than any other Premier League side in 2013-14 (44).
Hull have hit fewer shots than any other side in the Premier League this season (147), while Liverpool's total of 124 shots on target is almost double that of Hull (65).
Liverpool have hit the woodwork 16 times this season, twice as often as any other side.
Hull have played seven Premier League games in January and not won any of them (D3 L4).
Southampton v Chelsea
The Saints have only won one of their last nine Barclays Premier League games against Chelsea (D3 L5), but that was in this fixture last season.
Chelsea are likely to be missing Frank Lampard, who has scored four goals in his last five Barclays Premier League starts against Southampton.
Southampton only had one shot on target in the reverse fixture last month (the Rodriguez goal after 13 seconds).
37% of the goals Chelsea have conceded this season have come from set-pieces, the highest proportion in the Premier League (excl. penalties).
The Saints have lost only one of their last six Premier League home games against sides from London (W3 D2).
Jose Mourinho has made more substitutions than any other Premier League manager this season (57).
Chelsea have conceded 799 Premier League goals.
No Chelsea striker has scored a Premier League away goal since December 2012.
Jay Rodriguez has scored five goals in his last seven Premier League appearances for Southampton, with one of those coming against Chelsea.
Chelsea have lost as many away games as they have won this season (W3 D3 L3).
Stoke City v Everton
Stoke have only won two of their last 16 league games against Everton (D5 L9).
In the reverse fixture in November, Everton scored more goals (four) than they had in their last five meetings with Stoke City in the Premier League combined (three).
Stoke have won seven points in 11 Premier League games this season against sides currently in the top 12 places of the table (W1 D4 L6).
Everton full back Seamus Coleman has scored three goals in his last four Premier League appearances.
Tottenham's Kyle Walker (27) is the only Premier League defender to have created more chances than Coleman this season (22).
Everton's defenders have scored nine goals this season, five more than Stoke's strikers have mustered (4).
Stoke's total of four goals from strikers is the fewest of any Premier League club this season.
16 of Stoke's 21 Premier League points this season have come at the Britannia Stadium (76%).
Everton (9) are the only Premier League team to have conceded fewer than 10 goals away from home this season.
Everton have scored inside the last 20 minutes in eight of their last 11 Premier League games.
Sunderland v Aston Villa
Sunderland have scored 16 goals in the last 22 Barclays Premier League games against Villa, and only more than once in a game on one occasion.
There have been four red cards in the last four league meetings between Sunderland and Villa at Villa Park.
Sunderland are the only team in the bottom eight not to have won a game against a fellow side currently in that section of the Premier League table.
Cardiff (4) were the only Premier League team to score fewer goals than Aston Villa (5) in December.
Sunderland are unbeaten in their last four Premier League games (W1 D3) - they last went five undefeated in the opening five matches of the 2012-13 season.
No Aston Villa manager has overseen a Premier League clean sheet in January since Gerard Houllier in 2011.
Sunderland have won eight and lost only two (D2) of their last 12 Premier League games in January.
Sunderland lead the Premier League this season in both own goals (5) and red cards (5).
Aston Villa have conceded the most fouls this season (253) and have the most yellow cards (43).
27% of Sunderland's goals have been scored in the opening 15 minutes, the highest proportion in the Premier League this season.
West Bromwich Albion v Newcastle United
In the last 11 league meetings between Newcastle and West Brom, neither side has kept a clean sheet.
Papiss Demba Cisse has scored three goals in four Barclays Premier League games against West Bromwich Albion.
West Brom are on a run of nine Premier League games without a victory (D5 L4) - the longest such run in the competition currently.
WBA have conceded in each of their last nine league games, only two sides (Palace and Sunderland) have recorded runs of 10 games this season.
Newcastle are yet to draw a Premier League away match this season (W5 L4).
The Magpies have gained 15 points from the 12 away goals they've scored in 2013-14.
West Bromwich Albion have drawn their last three games in a row; no team has recorded four in a row in the Premier League in 2013-14.
Shola Ameobi has made 131 Premier League appearances as a substitute, more than any other player in the competition's history.
Nicolas Anelka has scored six times against Newcastle in the Premier League; only against four clubs has he managed more goals (Blackburn, Everton, Sunderland & Arsenal)
If the Premier League season had started in November then Newcastle would be second, behind Manchester City.
Manchester United v Tottenham Hotspur (5.30pm)
Wayne Rooney has scored nine Premier League goals against Tottenham, including seven in his last six starts versus them.
Tottenham Hotspur have won just one of the last 25 Premier League matches against Manchester United (W1 D7 L17).
Manchester United scored two goals from three shots on target in their reverse fixture against Spurs this season.
Tottenham's victory at Old Trafford last season was their first in 21 Premier League attempts (D3 L17).
Spurs have failed to score in 13 of their last 19 league trips to Old Trafford.
Manchester United have won their last four Premier League games; they have not won 5+ in a row since a spell of seven in a row in March 2013.
Wayne Rooney needs one goal to become only the second player in Premier League history to score 10+ goals in 10 consecutive seasons (Lampard achieved this last season).
Rooney has two assists more (9) than any other Premier League player this season.
Tottenham have won more penalties than any other Premier League team this season (4 - all scored by Roberto Soldado).
However, Manchester United have now gone 76 Premier League games without conceding a penalty (equivalent to two whole seasons).
Arsenal, who have the best shooting accuracy in the top flight, face Cardiff with the worst, while Liverpool have hit the woodwork 16 times.
TEAMtalk takes a look at all the key statistics ahead of the New Year's Day Premier League fixtures with Arsenal travelling to Cardiff looking to build on their impressive 54.5% shooting accuracy.
Liverpool, who take on Hull, have hit the woodwork twice as often as any other side, while Wayne Rooney has scored seven Premier League goals against Spurs in his last six starts against them.
Man City have scored a league-high 29 second-half goals in the Premier League this season and discover which high-flying side have conceded a league-high 37% of their goals from set-pieces.
Swansea City v Manchester City (12.45pm)
Swansea conceded 15 shots on target in their first ever Barclays Premier League game (against Man City in August 2011), a game they lost 4-0.
The Citizens have kept five clean sheets in their last six league meetings with Swansea City.
Manchester City have won four Barclays Premier League games in a row, they have not won 5+ in a row within a single season since a spell of six wins won them the title in 2011-12.
Arsenal are the only team to record Premier League five wins in a row so far in 2013-14 (Aug-Sept).
Swansea took only 39 points from 37 Premier League games in 2013. They won 55 from 39 games in 2012.
Jesus Navas has made three assists and scored one goal in his last four Premier League appearances.
Man City have scored 29 second-half goals in the Premier League this season; a league-high.
Swansea City have scored only four goals in their last five Premier League games.
Manchester City need two goals in this game to match the best goal total recorded by a Premier League team after 20 games (56 by Man City in 2011-12)
Nine teams have won more away points in the Premier League than Manchester City (11) this season.
Arsenal v Cardiff City
Arsenal are unbeaten in the last 12 matches in all competitions against Cardiff City, winning seven and drawing five.
Cardiff are unbeaten in three league trips to Arsenal (W1 D2), though the most recent of these came back in 1962.
Arsenal have only scored 16 times in nine Premier League home games this season.
Only Everton have conceded as few goals as Arsenal (18) this season in the top-flight.
Only 18 different players have started a Premier League game for Cardiff this season, fewer than at any other Premier League club.
Arsenal have the best shooting accuracy (54.5%) and Cardiff the worst (35.7%) in the Premier League this season.
Cardiff have fashioned more attempts from indirect free-kick moves than any other side this season (20 - almost three times as many as Arsenal (7)
Arsenal's substitutes have provided four assists this season, more than any other team.
The Gunners have conceded fewer fouls than any other Premier League team this season (184) but seven clubs have received fewer yellow cards.
Of the seven players to have picked up a league-high six yellow cards in the Premier League this season, Mathieu Flamini has committed the fewest fouls (13).
Crystal Palace v Norwich City
Crystal Palace are unbeaten in 13 home league meetings with Norwich City (W9 D4).
Canaries ace Gary Hooper completed all 32 passes in the reverse fixture with Crystal Palace this season.
Crystal Palace are the only team yet to win a point from a losing position in the Premier League this season; losing all 13 games that they,ve been behind in.
Despite Palace being outside the relegation zone, no team has lost more games than the Eagles (13).
Norwich have lost their last two games in a row. It's the third time this has happened this season but they are yet to lose three in a row.
Palace have lost three of their last four games but have taken nine points from their last six (W3 L3).
Norwich have made more goalline clearances than any other side (8) in the Premier League this season.
Only four teams in Premier League history have recorded fewer goals in their opening 19 games than Crystal Palace have this season (12).
Norwich have won only two of their last 23 Premier League away games in London (D6 L15).
Palace (9) only gained two points fewer than league leaders Arsenal (11) in December.
Fulham v West Ham United
Fulham didn't manage a single shot on target against West Ham United in the reverse fixture in November.
Carlton Cole has scored seven goals in his last nine Premier League games against Fulham.
Fulham have conceded the first goal of the game more often than any other Premier League side (14).
Fulham have leaked 15 goals in their last four Premier League games.
West Ham have conceded nine goals in their last three Premier League games (exactly three in each match).
Fulham have conceded 11 goals in London derbies this season - more than any other side.
Fulham (16 points) are two points better off than they were at this point in 2007-08 (14 points), when they eventually recovered to finish 17th.
West Ham have one point fewer (15) than they did at this point in 2010-11 (16) when they were last relegated from the Premier League.
Fulham are looking for their 25th victory in Premier League London derbies (W24 D31 L58).
Since the start of last season, Fulham have won just 18% of games that Dimitar Berbatov has not started (2 of 11), compared to 30% when he has (14 of 46).
Liverpool v Hull City
Liverpool have won seven and lost none of eight previous home games against the Tigers in all competitions, scoring at least twice on every occasion.
Hull City's victory over Liverpool in December was their first victory over the Reds in any competition, ever (D4 L12).
Hull City have scored as many goals in their past two Premier League games (8) as they had in the previous 10.
Liverpool have scored at least three goals in each of their last six Premier League home games.
Luis Suarez has scored 13 goals in his last five Premier League home games.
13 different players have scored for Hull this season, no team has seen a wider spread.
Only four teams have scored 5+ goals in a Premier League game this season, Liverpool and Hull are two of them (along with Man City and Newcastle).
Liverpool have made fewer substitutions than any other Premier League side in 2013-14 (44).
Hull have hit fewer shots than any other side in the Premier League this season (147), while Liverpool's total of 124 shots on target is almost double that of Hull (65).
Liverpool have hit the woodwork 16 times this season, twice as often as any other side.
Hull have played seven Premier League games in January and not won any of them (D3 L4).
Southampton v Chelsea
The Saints have only won one of their last nine Barclays Premier League games against Chelsea (D3 L5), but that was in this fixture last season.
Chelsea are likely to be missing Frank Lampard, who has scored four goals in his last five Barclays Premier League starts against Southampton.
Southampton only had one shot on target in the reverse fixture last month (the Rodriguez goal after 13 seconds).
37% of the goals Chelsea have conceded this season have come from set-pieces, the highest proportion in the Premier League (excl. penalties).
The Saints have lost only one of their last six Premier League home games against sides from London (W3 D2).
Jose Mourinho has made more substitutions than any other Premier League manager this season (57).
Chelsea have conceded 799 Premier League goals.
No Chelsea striker has scored a Premier League away goal since December 2012.
Jay Rodriguez has scored five goals in his last seven Premier League appearances for Southampton, with one of those coming against Chelsea.
Chelsea have lost as many away games as they have won this season (W3 D3 L3).
Stoke City v Everton
Stoke have only won two of their last 16 league games against Everton (D5 L9).
In the reverse fixture in November, Everton scored more goals (four) than they had in their last five meetings with Stoke City in the Premier League combined (three).
Stoke have won seven points in 11 Premier League games this season against sides currently in the top 12 places of the table (W1 D4 L6).
Everton full back Seamus Coleman has scored three goals in his last four Premier League appearances.
Tottenham's Kyle Walker (27) is the only Premier League defender to have created more chances than Coleman this season (22).
Everton's defenders have scored nine goals this season, five more than Stoke's strikers have mustered (4).
Stoke's total of four goals from strikers is the fewest of any Premier League club this season.
16 of Stoke's 21 Premier League points this season have come at the Britannia Stadium (76%).
Everton (9) are the only Premier League team to have conceded fewer than 10 goals away from home this season.
Everton have scored inside the last 20 minutes in eight of their last 11 Premier League games.
Sunderland v Aston Villa
Sunderland have scored 16 goals in the last 22 Barclays Premier League games against Villa, and only more than once in a game on one occasion.
There have been four red cards in the last four league meetings between Sunderland and Villa at Villa Park.
Sunderland are the only team in the bottom eight not to have won a game against a fellow side currently in that section of the Premier League table.
Cardiff (4) were the only Premier League team to score fewer goals than Aston Villa (5) in December.
Sunderland are unbeaten in their last four Premier League games (W1 D3) - they last went five undefeated in the opening five matches of the 2012-13 season.
No Aston Villa manager has overseen a Premier League clean sheet in January since Gerard Houllier in 2011.
Sunderland have won eight and lost only two (D2) of their last 12 Premier League games in January.
Sunderland lead the Premier League this season in both own goals (5) and red cards (5).
Aston Villa have conceded the most fouls this season (253) and have the most yellow cards (43).
27% of Sunderland's goals have been scored in the opening 15 minutes, the highest proportion in the Premier League this season.
West Bromwich Albion v Newcastle United
In the last 11 league meetings between Newcastle and West Brom, neither side has kept a clean sheet.
Papiss Demba Cisse has scored three goals in four Barclays Premier League games against West Bromwich Albion.
West Brom are on a run of nine Premier League games without a victory (D5 L4) - the longest such run in the competition currently.
WBA have conceded in each of their last nine league games, only two sides (Palace and Sunderland) have recorded runs of 10 games this season.
Newcastle are yet to draw a Premier League away match this season (W5 L4).
The Magpies have gained 15 points from the 12 away goals they've scored in 2013-14.
West Bromwich Albion have drawn their last three games in a row; no team has recorded four in a row in the Premier League in 2013-14.
Shola Ameobi has made 131 Premier League appearances as a substitute, more than any other player in the competition's history.
Nicolas Anelka has scored six times against Newcastle in the Premier League; only against four clubs has he managed more goals (Blackburn, Everton, Sunderland & Arsenal)
If the Premier League season had started in November then Newcastle would be second, behind Manchester City.
Manchester United v Tottenham Hotspur (5.30pm)
Wayne Rooney has scored nine Premier League goals against Tottenham, including seven in his last six starts versus them.
Tottenham Hotspur have won just one of the last 25 Premier League matches against Manchester United (W1 D7 L17).
Manchester United scored two goals from three shots on target in their reverse fixture against Spurs this season.
Tottenham's victory at Old Trafford last season was their first in 21 Premier League attempts (D3 L17).
Spurs have failed to score in 13 of their last 19 league trips to Old Trafford.
Manchester United have won their last four Premier League games; they have not won 5+ in a row since a spell of seven in a row in March 2013.
Wayne Rooney needs one goal to become only the second player in Premier League history to score 10+ goals in 10 consecutive seasons (Lampard achieved this last season).
Rooney has two assists more (9) than any other Premier League player this season.
Tottenham have won more penalties than any other Premier League team this season (4 - all scored by Roberto Soldado).
However, Manchester United have now gone 76 Premier League games without conceding a penalty (equivalent to two whole seasons).
Liverpool are hopeful of landing Basel winger Mohamed Salah in January and Manchester United are plotting a £20million swoop for Luke Shaw.
Everton midfielder Ross Barkley is top of Manchester United's New Year shopping list, while Sunderland are set to sign Marcos Alonso.
Chelsea want to bring midfielder Xabi Alonso back to the Premier League, while West Ham hope to sign Roma striker Marco Borriello on loan.
Liverpool are chasing three top young talents - including the 'Egyptian Lionel Messi' - as Arsenal and Man Utd battle for two Portuguese stars.
Saturday 28th December 2013 18:05
Print Article 
Email Article David Moyes expects Wayne Rooney to return for Manchester United's next game after he missed the 1-0 win at Norwich.
At Carrow Road on Saturday, Moyes saw his side claim their sixth straight victory in all competitions as they moved up to sixth in the Premier League table.
Rooney had played the full 90 minutes and scored in the 3-2 win at Hull on Boxing Day but his groin problem prevented him from being involved again two days later.
Instead, his England colleague Danny Welbeck came off the bench to score the only goal of the game on 57 minutes.
Afterwards, Moyes explained that Rooney was likely to be back in action against Tottenham on New Year's Day.
"Wayne was missing because he's got an adductor injury in his groin," the United boss told Sky Sports. "He missed the Stoke game because of the same injury.
"I think if we hadn't got so many games and we could give him a couple of weeks just to recover properly, I think he'd be fine but I'd expect him to be OK for the next game against Tottenham."
Moyes admitted his side were second best in the first half on Saturday and took pleasure in the fact they managed to claim another win on their travels so soon after Thursday's triumph.
"To win back-to-back games in three days in the Premier League away from home is really difficult," he added.
"Some teams don't play until tomorrow, but we had two games in three days and I've got to say the squad coped really well, even though we've had a few injuries.
"I was delighted to get the result. I thought Norwich played really well at times today and we had to dig deep to make sure we got the victory."
On his decision to bring on Welbeck in place of Ryan Giggs at the break, Moyes said: "I just felt Norwich had grown into the game - we'd started very well, and Norwich had got better - and I felt we needed to alter things a little bit.
"I thought Danny was the difference in the game. He came on, he ran and made good opportunities for us. I thought he played ever so well."
United are just two points off the top four ahead of the rest of the weekend action, but Moyes is not getting carried away by their good form.
"It's OK, but we've got to do better and we've got to keep progressing and winning games, and try and keep on the tails of the teams above us," he said.
"We'd like to be closer, we're working towards that and we're hopefully going to get there. We're playing well enough just now, we're finding ways to win and I think that happened a lot last year."
Welbeck was also all smiles after the final whistle, saying: "It's been difficult going away twice in three days over the Christmas period, so to come with away with six points is really pleasing.
"We've got a lot of momentum, but the next game is the most important, and we're not getting carried away looking at the past.
"I was delighted to come on and get the winning goal. I felt like I really played my part in the second half.
"It's a squad game and it's a long season, so we've got to rotate. That's what's happened today and we got three crucial points."
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is favourite to take over at Cardiff and will get £25million to spend, while Tottenham flop Erik Lamela wants a loan move.
Friday 27th December 2013 10:36
Print Article Email Article Dwight Yorke believes things are looking up for Manchester United and would not be surprised if they retained their Premier League title.
David Moyes' men were two down after just 13 minutes at Hull City on Boxing Day but got back on level terms by the break, thanks to a Chris Smalling header and a superb strike from Wayne Rooney.
A James Chester own goal in the second half earned United victory, moving them to within five points of fourth-placed Liverpool and eight of leaders Arsenal.
"It was important for United to get the result," said Yorke, who claimed three league titles during his four-year stint with United.
"We know it's difficult at the KC Stadium and United didn't play great but they got the result and the players will now be thinking, with Norwich next, they can put a run together.
"They've given themselves a very good chance, which I didn't think they'd be able to do earlier in the season. United will take that.
"They needed to put themselves in a good position to launch an attack and they'll try to pick the teams above them off one at a time, step by step. When those sides above them slip up United must be ready to pounce.
"Moyes and the players know this is a crucial part of the season but they'll be quietly confident they can put a run together to see them challenge at the top of the table.
"Things are looking promising and, come the end of the season, I wouldn't be surprised if United retain their Premier League title."
Wayne Rooney has been key for United so far this season and the England ace bagged his 150th Premier League goal - and eighth this season - with a superb volley against Hull.
However, the forward also dropped into a deeper role to support the United midfield and Yorke reckons Rooney's versatility is a real bonus for the club - and an indicator of the 28-year-old's talent.
Yorke added on Sky Sports: "Not too many players can drop back into midfield and use the ball very cleverly but at the same time get you the vital goal when it's needed. That's something Wayne Rooney has in his locker.
"He's a player the United fans love to see doing what he does best and that's scoring the goals he's scoring at the moment and producing the performances he's producing.
"He's certainly been the star man for United so far this season."
Jackson Martinez has opened the door to a move to Arsenal or Chelsea, while Tottenham midfielder Sandro has ruled out a move to Serie A.
Thursday 26th December 2013 16:34
Print Article Email Article David Moyes hailed the character of his Manchester United side following their 3-2 victory over Hull City but admitted they still had a lot of work to do to get back into the title race.
United made a disastrous start to their Boxing Day fixture at the KC Stadium as goals from James Chester and David Meyler put the Tigers 2-0 up inside the opening 13 minutes.
However, Chris Smalling reduced United's arrears and Wayne Rooney smashed in a great volley to equalise, before a Chester own goal sealed a 3-2 win.
Moyes was delighted with the spirit shown by his side, telling Sky Sports: "We didn't start well, but all credit to the players for getting themselves back.
"I think it's what Manchester United are capable of, they have been over the years.
"We played well enough after that to score goals, and create goals. It was a bit harem scarem in the last five minutes but I'd have taken that after being 2-0 down at the start of the game.
"The boys showed great character to come back."
It was a third straight league win for United and kept them in touch with the leading pack, but Moyes does not want to get carried away and has instead urged his men to keep working hard.
"We've got a long way to go. We can only try to hang on to the teams that are above us," he said.
"We're going to have to win an awful lot of games between now and the end of the season but the players are making a right good go of it and I believe we can be there or thereabouts at the end of the season and that is what we'll try to do."
Antonio Valencia was sent off in the closing stages after kicking the ball away to receive a second yellow card, but Moyes insists United can cope with his absence.
"It was something he shouldn't have done," said Moyes. "We'll have players to fill in, we've got a big squad so hopefully we'll all be ready to go again against Norwich on Saturday."
Thursday 26th December 2013 15:30
Print Article Email Article Wayne Rooney praised Manchester United's fighting qualities after they came from behind to beat Hull City 3-2 at the KC Stadium.
Goals from James Chester and David Meyler had the Tigers 2-0 up inside 13 minutes but United quickly pulled one back through Chris Smalling.
Rooney hit a brilliant volley to net his 150th Premier League goal and draw the Red Devils level, and Chester's own goal in the second half completed the turnaround.
The win continues United's recent resurgence under David Moyes, and their resilience in coming from behind against a well-drilled Hull outfit was of particular satisfaction to Rooney.
"We didn't start well enough today. Two-nil down we had to dig deep and show our fighting spirit. We've done that and this is a massive result for us," Rooney told Sky Sports 1.
Asked about United's slow start to the match, Rooney said: "It was just poor defending. It was my fault for the first, I've let James Chester go, and then a sloppy goal.
"We had to come back and try and get an early goal after they scored the two."
Rooney's milestone strike after 26 minutes was straight out of the top drawer, and the forward added: "The ball's bounced nicely for me and I've had a go.
"It was a good goal for us at a good time of the game."
Manchester United's Rio Ferdinand is considering retiring from football, while Arsenal have lined up another move for Newcastle's Yohan Cabaye.
Tuesday 24th December 2013 14:46
Print Article Email Article Manchester United manager David Moyes has come out in staunch defence of Adnan Januzaj after he was booked for diving against West Ham on Saturday.
Despite only being 18-years-old and having played just 11 times in the Premier League, the weekend's yellow card was Januzaj's second from simulation.
However, Moyes was quick to jump to the defence of his playmaker, claiming he has been targeted by some rash tackling early in his career.
Premier League statistics highlight Januzaj as the most fouled, on average per game, player in the top flight, something which Moyes believes referees can do more about.
"I can only say what I see," he said. "In the previous games he has been getting kicked from pillar to post and the referees have been quite happy to let that go.
"They have not been too bothered about doing anything about it. The boy was wrong with what happened on Saturday and we have told him about it.
"But we all make one or two mistakes and the boy will learn as he gets older."
Unhappy with some of the tackling, Moyes admits he would not blame players who dive out of the way to avoid serious injury.
He added: "The thing is, when you are getting kicked all the time and folk are lunging into tackles into you, sometimes you have to jump out of the way or you are going to get hurt.
"That is what I continually say. I just hope it doesn't take a sore one before people start doing something about it."
Almost a decade ago Sir Alex Ferguson was fielding similar questions about diving in regards to Cristiano Ronaldo and Moyes claims protecting Januzaj's fitness must be of paramount importance.
"Some people need to realise this is a young talent," said Moyes. "At the moment they are kicking him but it is right, they also kicked Ronaldo and look at the player he went on to be.
"Adnan will also go on to become a great player in time. At the moment the job is to make sure he is able to play."
Manchester United travel to the KC Stadium on Boxing Day to face Hull, who have conceded just three goals on home turf this season, and Moyes understands it will take something special to penetrate Steve Bruce's fortress.
"It is a great record," said Moyes. "In this league you have either got to score plenty of goals or not concede them, it is one or the other.
"As far as Steve Bruce is concerned, it means he has a good base and his team are hard to beat. It gives him a platform to play off and means he can hope the odd goal wins him matches.
"It will be a tough game that's for sure but we have got ourselves on a winning run and hopefully we can continue that."
Manchester have lined up a swoop for Benfica trio Ezequiel Garay, Nicolas Gaitan and Nemanja Matic, while Pepe Mel nears West Brom role.
Juventus reportedly want to take Tottenham's Erik Lamela back to Italy, while Benfica duo Lazar Markovic and Nemanja Matic could join Chelsea.
Monday 23rd December 2013 15:37
Print Article Email Article Manchester United manager David Moyes is hoping for back-to-back away victories over Christmas as the Premier League champions travel to Hull and Norwich.
Hull are first up on Boxing Day and Steve Bruce's team are likely to provide a stern test for United having conceded only three goals in eight matches at the KC Stadium this season, the third best home defensive record in Europe.
Moyes said: "Steve Bruce has done a really good job with Hull.
"He has brought them back, they looked as though they were dipping and going in the wrong direction and I think he has done a great job in getting good momentum at Hull going again.
"They have got some good players and they will be a hard team to beat. They have had a decent first half to the season.
"You have either got to score plenty of goals or not concede goals - so it's one or the other.
"I'm sure for Steve then if they have got a real good base, and they are hard to beat, then that is something you can build on and hope then you can get yourself the odd goal here and there which wins you the games. It will be a tough game."
United have won four, drawn two and lost two of their matches away from home in the Premier League this term and Moyes is keen for them to improve that record at Hull and against Norwich at Carrow Road on Saturday.
He added: "Away games are always much harder than the home games and we have to make sure that we go there and do the job right.
"We have done quite well away from home this season so far so we'll try and keep it going. We'll try and keep the good away form going and hopefully pick up some points."
Watch Hull City take on Manchester United live on Sky Sports 1HD from 12.30pm on Boxing Day, or for just £4.99 with a NOW TV day pass.
Monday 23rd December 2013 11:36
Print Article Email Article Manchester United midfielder Marouane Fellaini has had a wrist operation which is expected to keep him out of action for up to six weeks.
The Belgium midfielder underwent the procedure to repair tendon damage at a hospital in the North West over the weekend after a troublesome back complaint failed to clear up as hoped.
"He had his operation on Saturday morning," said United manager David Moyes.
"We just couldn't get him recovered from his back. We thought it would be okay after 10 days but it wasn't getting any better so we made a quick decision to get the wrist done.
"We think it will be six weeks, but there is a chance it could be shorter than that.
"His back problem is going to take time. That is a muscle injury which wasn't healing.
"It is unlucky. He has not felt 100 per cent because of his wrist. He has been finding it difficult.
"I asked him to see if he could get over the Christmas period. He got the back injury against Everton and since then he has never really been right.
"I have no doubt he will eventually be a good player for us."
The £27.5million summer signing from Everton sustained the injury playing against Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League in early October but has played since with a protective cast.
If Fellaini's recovery goes as scheduled, he will miss seven Premier League games, including the trip to Chelsea on January 19, plus both legs of the Capital One Cup semi-final with Sunderland and the FA Cup third and fourth rounds.
However, the 26-year-old should be back well ahead of the trip to Olympiakos on February 25 in the first leg of United's Champions League last-16 tie.
Fellaini will miss the Boxing Day trip to Hull, when striker Robin van Persie (thigh) and midfielder Michael Carrick (Achilles) are also set to be missing, although Moyes is refusing to abandon all hope.
"This is the time when miracles happen," he said. "Let us hope there is one for Robin van Persie and Michael Carrick."
Watch Hull City take on Manchester United live on Sky Sports 1HD from 12.30pm on Boxing Day, or for just £4.99 with a NOW TV day pass.
Manchester United are willing to break the bank to keep Wayne Rooney, while Yaya Toure has urged Lionel Messi to join him at Manchester City.
Tottenham's Sandro has snubbed interest from Roma and Inter and Carlos Queiroz is the latest name in the frame to replace Andre Villas-Boas.
Barcelona and Real Madrid have been alerted to a release clause in Luis Suarez's new bumper contract, while Real are also chasing Wayne Rooney.
Wayne Rooney's improved positional awareness allowed him to flourish in a starring role as Man United swept aside West Ham, says Alex Dunn.
The most productive week of David Moyes' tenure as Manchester United manager to date concluded with a 3-1 victory over West Ham United that lay to rest a lingering fear of losing three successive games at Old Trafford for the first time since the 1978/79 campaign.
In truth losing by two goals flattered a West Ham side who, from the first kick to the final shrill of the referee's whistle, never looked capable of improving a sequence of results that has seen them pick up just a solitary victory away from home all season.
The writer Norman Mailer once said 'every moment of one's existence one is growing into more or retreating into less. One is always living a little more or dying a little bit'. On Saturday, from the outset, it became clear that with every forward foray from the home side Sam Allardyce's men were powerless but to retreat that little further into their shell. By the end they were a tortoise without a head. This was an away day best described as a damage limitation exercise.
For United it was Wayne Rooney who again proved the catalyst as his incessant prompting from a withdrawn role further cemented his status as the club's most important player this season, as he provided assists for Danny Welbeck and Ashley Young goals, which sandwiched an Adnan Januzaj strike. For a home crowd starved of anything like the kind of football one usually associates with sides that boast 'champions' as a moniker, that all three were dispatched with no little vim and verve will come as a blessed relief.
Selection
The big news pre-match centred on Rooney passing a fitness test on a groin injury that had prohibited his involvement in the midweek Carling Cup win at Stoke City.
Rooney's availability saw Anderson drop out, with Januzaj also coming in at the expense of Young who will perhaps consider himself a touch unfortunate after a goal and much-improved performance at the Britannia Stadium.
Despite springing a huge surprise in winning at Tottenham on Wednesday night, Allardyce reverted back to his more established starting XI as Mohamed Diame, Modibo Maiga, James Tomkins, Guy Demel, Mark Noble and Ravel Morrison were all recalled.
For Morrison, who made three substitute appearances for United before being adjudged too much of an enfant terrible for even Sir Alex Ferguson to handle, this was a first return to Old Trafford.
Rooney irresistible
Wayne Rooney is never better than when he feels needed and this current United side need him like never before. With Nemanja Vidic, Michael Carrick and Robin van Persie all nursing injuries, Moyes - for all the head in the sand exclamations that have punctuated his time at United - is picking a side without its spine at present. Rooney's detractors accuse him of lacking discipline in his positional play but it is only the truly churlish that fail to appreciate a forward just as comfortable kicking a centre-half over the Stretford End as he is chipping a goalkeeper from distance.
On Saturday he appeared to have been given carte blanche by Moyes to patrol wherever he saw fit and for most of the contest dropped incredibly deep, taking possession off his centre-halves Chris Smalling and Jonny Evans on 19 separate occasions. Despite packing his midfield with five as Maiga ploughed a furrow so lonely the Samaritans slipped him a card at full-time, Allardyce never came close to working out a strategy to contain the England man. The graphic below picks out Rooney's (no.10) average position in the opening 20 minutes, with only four outfield players occupying space any deeper. Only once in this period did he touch the ball in West Ham's box.
His assists for Welbeck and Young were both passes he'd expect to make but what they demonstrated was that for all his eye-catching raking cross-field passes from his own half, when it really mattered his quality and cuteness shone brightest further up the pitch. Indeed, a pair of assists, which make him the finest architect of goals in the division, somewhat undermines a notion that all his unselfish work merely disguises the fact he can be all fur coat and no knickers. That he topped the charts for chances created (six), passes (81 - 53 of which were tellingly in the opposition's half), touches (104), crosses (seven - equal to Valencia) and gaining possession (seven) underlined just what a dynamic shift he put in.
| Premier League - Assists | |
| Player | Assists |
| Wayne Rooney | 8 |
| Mesut Ozil | 7 |
| Steven Gerrard | 6 |
| Aaron Ramsey | 6 |
| Pablo Zabaleta | 5 |
| Kevin Mirallas | 5 |
| Jordan Henderson | 5 |
| Luis Suarez | 5 |
His Achilles heel is invariably losing possession needlessly and that he ceded the ball 19 times is not to be overlooked, but nonetheless Trevor Francis on co-commentary duty perhaps best summed up the pervading mood in the stadium when he said: "Rooney's passing has been superb all afternoon. I think it emphasises just what United are lacking in the middle of the field."
Reliance on the right
It has been a key facet of United's play under Moyes that they use the right flank considerably more than its counterpart. Prior to Saturday's game, in their previous 17 Premier League matches 43 per cent of their attack locations had come down the right, with the left being a source of intent just 32 per cent of the time in comparison. It was little different on Saturday. The right side of the pitch was responsible for 44.1 per cent of United's attacking, with 31.6 per cent down the left.
The ever buccaneering Rafael's inclination to overlap Valencia is now established as a key outlet for United, and West Ham, in particular the wholly ineffective Matt Jarvis (who remarkably touched the ball just six times in the first half), struggled to contain the pair all afternoon. To his credit Valencia rarely hides, even if his fail-safe mode of cutting back can be infuriating, but too often his passing was off-key on the day. From 44 passes he managed only a 79.5% completion rate, the worst of any United outfield player. "There's absolutely no consistency in his crossing," lamented Francis, along with seventy thousand United fans in the stands.
Januzaj the real deal?
On the opposite wing, few would dispute that Januzaj is a player of genuine quality. For Francis it was a source of frustration that United so often spread the ball right when Guy Demel's (no.20) advanced positioning at right-back left acres in behind him: "I think they need to get it out to Januzaj on the left. When he gets it onto his left foot he's a real danger."
Two minutes later, the 36th, United heeded his advice and doubled their advantage following Welbeck's well-taken opener. Januzaj's first goal at Old Trafford had at its inception a dummy that James Collins is still trying to work out after he exchanged passes with Welbeck in the area. If Valencia is all about endeavour, Januzaj is effortless. At times their contrasting styles recall the glory days of Martin O'Neill and John Robertson at Nottingham Forest under Brian Clough.
Many believe Januzaj (no.44), like Ronaldo before him, will end up playing centrally and it's interesting to note on the average position diagram below how he plays off the flank in comparison to Valencia. There's a beautiful shape to his crosses but there's no doubt that this is a kid who places just as much emphasis on scoring goals as he does creating them.
The finest goal of the day though belonged to Young. If ever a United employee was playing on borrowed time it is the much-maligned wide-man and while two goals don't make a player, a first Premier League goal in 19 months - to add to his key effort in midweek - is at least a step in the right direction. He will strike few balls as sweetly as the one that gave Adrian not a prayer from Rooney's pull-back, as he bent a searing curling effort that is arguably up there as one of the season's finest.For West Ham, Carlton Cole's goal off the bench would provide scant consolation as United substitute Alexander Buttner failed to fully comprehend the concept of an offside trap sprung by the otherwise impressive Smalling and Evans. Perhaps the Dutchman was in a dazed shock at the sight of West Ham employing two strikers, with Maiga providing the assist.
"We played well today and on another day we might have scored more but overall I am really pleased with how we played. I thought we had enough of the ball before the opening goal and it was certainly coming. But, the first one was a really good piece of forward play between Wayne Rooney and Danny Welbeck and it's good to see Danny scoring another goal."
"I think we made the victory too easy for them. I didn't think we made them work hard enough for it. We made silly mistakes and when Manchester United get a sniff like that they are not going to turn it down. We did get better in the second half and played a little more like we know we can but it was too late for us to try and get any points."
