Tune in at 10:00 AM ET as Manchester United takes on Sunderland. Rob Sturney will be liveblogging for your enjoyment.
I'm Rob Sturney here with The Score's ongoing coverage of the EPL. Today we've got the league leaders Manchester United hosting Sunderland, who pulled out of a steep dive on Tuesday by beating Reading. Vidic is back for the Red Devils, but he's on the bench to start.
Lineups: Manchester United: De Gea, Ferdinand, Smalling, Jones, Evra; Carrick, Valencia, Cleverley, Young; Rooney, Van Persie SUBS: Lindegaard, Fletcher, Vidic, Giggs, Scholes, Welbeck, Chicharito
Sunderland: Mignolet, O'Shea, Cuellar, Colback, Bramble; Gardner, Johnson, Larsson, McLean; Sessegnon, Fletcher
Smalling and Ferdinand look to be paired as central defenders. Valencia gets the nod along with Cleverley in the middle of the park. Rooney, as usual, will slot in just behind Van Persie.
Gardner and Colback switch lines today. Rose hurt his ankle in the win over Reading. McClean, Fletcher and Sessegnon all scored over the Royals.
Man City just finished beating Newcastle, so the Citizens' gap to their neighbours is three points for the moment.
Sunderland hasn't won at Old Trafford in 44 years.
Over the last three EPL games, the Red Devils have beaten West Ham, Reading and Man City. Sunderland pulled out of two losses to Norwich and Chelsea with that win over Reading.
The Black Cats are currently 15th. On the surface, this would look like a walkover for Man United. Perhaps the Wearsiders will be buoyed by that Tuesday victory. They'll hope that Flectcher can improve on his seven goals for the season.
Van Persie leads the way for Man United with eleven goals. Rooney is on six and Chicharito has chalked up five.
Cuellar and Fletcher are both carrying sore joints - Cuellar's knee is hurting him and Fletcher has a tender ankle.
Man United might to be out for a bit of revenge: the Mackems in Sunderland were really gleeful when Red Devil faces fell on the last day of last season as word of Aguero's goal trickled in to take the title from Sir Alex Ferguson's men.
I think he's one of Ferguson's men who is out. Evans has a hurt hamstring, for one. Like I wrote off the top, Vidic is back but he'll start on the bench.
We're not too far off the kickoff at Old Trafford.
The Red Devils are in their traditional red shirts and white shorts. De Gea is clad in green. Sunderland sport their navy blue change kit and Mignolet wears sky blue.
Rooney looks ready to roll today. O'Shea greets his ex-teammates.
Man United will be attacking from left to right in the first half. Left to right.
He either picked up a knock in training, or he's in the doghouse for another reason.
1 min: Valencia can't capture De Gea's long kick down the right sideline. Man United win the ball back and Ferdinand gives it flight into the corner where Rooney can't grab it.
They're just three up at the moment with Man City's win over Newcastle this morning.
3 min: Sunderland send it back to their Belgian keeper. He can't distribute the ball to where he wants it.
3 min: McLean makes a spritely run at the red defense. He showed great vigour versus Reading. Man United try to roll it up the left flank. Repelled.
5 min: Valencia shoves over the Beninois Sessegnon. Sunderland gain a throw in deep in United's end. The final pass in the move is errant.
6 min: The Red Devils work the ball from the back. Valencia finds RVP in the box, but he can't get loose to shoot. Finally, Young clips a pass off O'Shea and United have a corner from the near flag.
7 min: Young has a shot over the goal when Mignolet can't get a firm fist on it. The keeper tips it over and United's next corner kick comes from the other side. This time Mignolet snatches it cleanly.
8 min: Some crisp passing opens the way for Young on the left. A moment of danger for the Black Cats must be booted away.
9 min: Mignolet clouts the ball towards his counterpart. He's not reaching his players very well so far. Evra and Young try to exploit that left flank. United switch the field but it runs out of bounds.
10 min: United reverse play back to the defensive line to restart the attack. Cleverley is closely marked by Larsson. Here's another corner for United.
Fletcher knocked it down for Evra to fire over the net. Crisis averted.
12 min: The ball settles on Cleverley's foot. RVP shakes loose on the left but can't cut the ball back.
13 min: Sunderland is only seeing 23% of the ball and hasn't had a goal attempt yet. They'll miss Rose today for sure.
13 min: Gardner and Jones came together to win a ball and the Manchester United man came off the worse.
14 min: Sunderland gives the ball back to United; the Red Devils kicked it out so Jones could recover.
15 min: Rooney tries to send in a brilliant lateral through ball for Valencia, but the two weren't on the same wavelength so Mignolet kicks off.
16 min: Young muscles Cuellar off the ball, gets it sent inside. It skips of a Sunderland defender right to RVP who scores a GOOOOOOAAALLL!
In the old onion bag. RVP in the right spot there after good work from Young.
It was coming, but O'Shea made a hash of the clearance and RVP finessed it past Mignolet for his twelfth goal of the season.
18 min: Carrick and Jones send the ball inside for Valencia. The Ecuadorian keeps fighting for it. Jones hits RVP in the box with a cross, but the Dutchman's header is tipped aside.
