Former United skipper Roy Keane is out in the Northlands. He walked from the Black Cats early this week, and while some may have understood his plight, the dust has settled and all that is left is the task of going to Old Trafford to face the Champions.

Teams who lose managers and then come to face one of the "big four" typically go home emphatically empty handed. This surely will be the case tomorrow as Sunderland travel southwest to face the Mancunians.

Sir Alex has finally come to grips with the fact that he has to seriously consider who he puts out in the striking core for every match.

He has tended to favor the new £30 million signing Dimitar Berbatov with Wayne Rooney at his side. However, Carlos Tevez had a chance to make his case to be in the starting squad and took the chance brilliantly. He netted four of United's five goals in a 5-3 victory over Blackburn that saw United through to the Carling Cup semifinals on Wednesday night.

Cristiano Ronaldo will be back, having served his one-game suspension in the mid-week Carling Cup tie. Michael Carrick will have to continue his good form and he could potentially be joined in central midfield by Paul Scholes who returned to action against Blackburn after being sidelined for two months with an injury.

Prediction: United 5-0