Newcastle, England – Manchester United saw its four-game winning run come to an end at the weekend, but it will be looking to make amends in a tough fixture against Newcastle United at Sports Direct Arena on Sunday.
The Red Devils were humbled in a 3-2 home loss to Tottenham last Saturday, preventing the club from keeping place with first-place Chelsea, which earned a 2-1 win over Arsenal earlier in the day.
But as the club looks to get back to winning ways, it could have hoped for a more forgiving match with which to bounce back.
"It's always a difficult place to go," United boss Sir Alex Ferguson told the club's official website of Sports Direct Arena. "They'll be buoyed by their support. I think Alan Pardew has a really good team there. After the game against Tottenham we have to make sure we don't lose.
"We played some really good football at times [against Tottenham] and it was interesting to play [Wayne] Rooney, Chicharito and Robin van Persie together. It gives me some thoughts and options for certain games."
United are coming off a midweek win in Champions League play, defeating CFR Cluj in Romania on Tuesday. Ferguson used the match as an opportunity to test one of the many attacking formations at his disposal as he started Rooney, Chicharito and van Persie together.
"I enjoy playing with all my team-mates," Chicharito told the club's official website. "But starting for the first time with both Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney... you can imagine how I felt. It was unbelievable because they are both world-class players.
"We have a lot of really good players in the strikers' department. We can play with three, sometimes it will be one, that's the gaffer's decision. We all have to be ready when the manager picks us."
Newcastle is unbeaten in its last four league games, and the Magpies will be looking to avenge a 2-1 loss to the Red Devils in the Capitol One Cup last Wednesday.
Also riding a promising unbeaten run is Tottenham. The club's defeat of Manchester United was its third in a row, extending its unbeaten streak in league play to five games after it began the season with a loss. Spurs will look to continue its fine run of form on Sunday when it welcomes Aston Villa to White Hart Lane.
Also on Sunday, Liverpool and Southampton try to build upon their first league wins of the season when they host Stoke City and Fulham at Anfield and St. Mary's, respectively.
On Saturday, Chelsea faces Norwich City at Stamford Bridge, Swansea City hosts Reading at the Liberty Stadium, Manchester City welcomes Sunderland to the Etihad, QPR heads to the Hawthorns to face West Bromwich, Wigan and Everton do battle at the DW Stadium and West Ham United tussles with Arsenal in a London derby at Upton Park.
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