Man Utd V Stoke at Old Trafford : Match Preview

Man Utd V Stoke - view commentary, squad, and statistics of the game live.Louis van Gaal knows the pressure to improve Premier League fortunes remainsLouis van Gaal will once again be under pressure to deliver a victory and an improved performance when Manchester United host Stoke on Tuesday.Already low after watching their team embark upon a poor run of two wins from their last 10 Premier League matches, United fans watched on in despair on deadline day as the club failed to land any big names while neighbours Manchester City announced the appointment of the most sought-after coach in the world, Pep Guardiola.United fans heckled Van Gaal as he walked down the tunnel the last time their team played at home. The fact their team had lost ground in the hunt for the top four with a 1-0 defeat to Southampton was not the main cause for their ire - it was the dour, turgid unattractive football that was the problem yet again.For the 11th successive home game, United failed to score in the first half and only registered one weak shot on target throughout the entire encounter.It is hard to imagine such a scenario unfolding in a game involving one of Guardiola's teams. In fact the Spaniard has overseen just 11 domestic 0-0 draws during his six seasons in management. European results aside, Van Gaal has recorded 10 goalless stalemates during his 18-month tenure at United.Last Friday's 3-1 win over Derby in the FA Cup was a step in the right direction, but Van Gaal knows he could be back in hot water with the United fans if his team do not beat Stoke at Old Trafford."I'm not a stupid man. I'm an intelligent man and I cannot predict the atmosphere on Tuesday," the United manager said."I hope that we can give the same level of performance as against Derby."United played with more flair and risk at Derby on Friday, but Van Gaal knows Stoke will offer a far sterner test of his team's top four credentials.After all, the Potters handed Van Gaal one of the most chastening defeats of his reign on Boxing Day, when Bojan Krkic and Marko Arnautovic scored in an easy 2-0 win for Mark Hughes' side.United lost just one of the following seven games to buy Van Gaal some time, but Juan Mata admits January was a month to forget."January is now over. It hasn't been an easy month but our victory in Derby leaves a good taste because it means a boost of energy for us: we move onto the next round of the FA Cup and also the team had good feelings and I think we played a good match," the United playmaker wrote in his weekly blog."It was a very positive win with a more dynamic, fluid style that we hope to maintain from now on."Uruguayan right-back Guillermo Varela looks set to make just his second Premier League start for Manchester United.With Matteo Darmian (chest), Ashley Young (groin), Marcos Rojo (shoulder), Antonio Valencia (foot) and Luke Shaw (leg) injured, United are short in numbers at the back so 22-year-old Varela looks set to keep his place in the team following his impressive performance at Derby.Cameron Borthwick-Jackson is expected to start on the other side of defence on his 19th birthday, but midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger (knee) and defender Phil Jones (ankle) are unavailable.Forwards Marko Arnautovic and Jonathan Walters will return to Stoke's squad for the trip.The pair, plus full-back Glen Johnson, all missed the weekend FA Cup defeat to Crystal Palace because of minor injuries but have recovered sufficiently to be included.Defender Marc Wilson has been ruled out for 10-12 weeks after injuring a medial knee ligament at Selhurst Park.

Source: PAR