Preview: West Ham United vs Manchester United

Form guide: After the derby disappointment, Manchester United returned to winning ways in what might be considered a similar fixture to Wednesday's, away to Stoke City. The 2-0 victory over the Potters will hopefully set the Reds up for another silky yet steely display against Sam Allardyce's West Ham United, a side who've made good use of Andy Carroll's aerial prowess during his season-long loan from Liverpool. The powerful striker scored his sixth goal in seven games on Saturday, albeit with a blast from a free-kick rather than a trademark header, as the Hammers held Southampton 1-1 at St Mary's. Prior to that, Allardyce's men beat West Brom 3-1 at Upton Park to propel their push towards guaranteed safety and potentially a top-half finish.

Ins and outs: Sir Alex Ferguson could freshen up at the back, especially if he feels Nemanja Vidic – described as a "bit short" of fitness by the boss on Friday – and Rio Ferdinand need a rest after the rigours of Stoke. Jonny Evans and Chris Smalling were both fit enough to be on the bench at the Britannia Stadium. As for West Ham, defenders Winston Reid and George McCartney and midfielders Mark Noble and Joe Cole were all unavailable for selection by Allardyce on Saturday.

Last meeting: Wayne Rooney scored the only goal when the Reds beat the Hammers 1-0 at Old Trafford in January's FA Cup third-round replay, after the original tie at Upton Park ended 2-2.

Did you know? The Reds' first-ever league match at Upton Park was on Boxing Day (26 December) in 1922. Nothing unusual in that, you might think, but the sides had also played each other 24 hours earlier – yes, on Christmas Day – at Old Trafford. In both games, the away team won (2-1, then 2-0).

Opposition boss: Sam Allardyce's tenure at West Ham will soon outstrip his stint as Blackburn boss in terms of matches he's been manager for. To date, his 87 games with the Hammers have resulted in 38 wins, 23 draws and 26 defeats. He won only 32 – and lost 34 – of his 90 fixtures with Rovers.

Quote/unquote: "I think if we win them all, we get a recording our pockets, so it's a good aim, a nice target for all of us to achieve." – Wayne Rooney eyes the six remaining games, starting with West Ham.

Sub-plots: If the Reds pick up at least a point in East London, then the club's next visit to the capital could be the day we're all waiting for. After hosting Aston Villa next Monday, 22 April, Sir Alex's men go to the Emirates Stadium to face Arsenal on Sunday 28. Seven points from those three games would confirm United as champions, even if Manchester City keep winning.

Whistle blower: Wiltshire's Lee Probert will referee a Reds match for only the second time this season, having previously been on duty for November's home win over Queens Park Rangers. He's shown two red cards in his last two games – dismissing Steve Sidwell in Fulham's derby clash with QPR and Everton's Steven Pienaar during their helpful 2-0 win against Man City.