Manchester United vs. Fulham: 7 Bold Predictions as Red Devils Host Cottagers

After months of playing second fiddle to cross-town rivals Manchester City—and even Tottenham at times!—the Red Devils are officially back.

The club's win last Sunday night against Wolverhampton was more than just knocking in a few goals and earning three points. Manchester United proved with their shocking 5-0 win at Molineux Stadium that they are an elite club that is well poised to take their fifth title in the last six years.

But the next step towards the Premier League silverware goes through Fulham. Sir Alex Ferguson's men are focused on the league title now, but what can we expect from the Red Devils this weekend against Fulham?

Join me as I take you into Manchester United's tie with Fulham this Monday and give you seven of the boldest predictions this side of Old Trafford.

Paul Pogba Will Start

That's right—we're going from zero to bold right at the starting line.

According to ESPN, Sir Alex Ferguson recently told MUTV that "[Pogba] has got and he is a first-team player, there is no question about that." With a contract situation that has Italian side Juventus licking its chops, Ferguson is in a situation where he not only should start the 19-year-old midfielder—he has to in order to keep him at Old Trafford.

After a week where he saw increasing amounts of playing time—18 minutes against WBA, 28 minutes against Athletic Bilbao and 34 minutes against Wolves—and the 30-year-old Michael Carrick being given extended amounts of playing time recently, it looks likes the time is right for Pogba to get the start in the center of the midfield.

The Game Will Be Scoreless at Halftime

In their last five league home matches, the boys of Old Trafford have scored 11 goals.

Only three of them came in the first half—and none came before the 35th minute.

Ferguson is a poker player, patiently throwing away hands until he gets a good read on the other players at the table and has the cards to trap them. Fulham manager Martin Jol will look even at the halftime whistle, but it won't be long before Ferguson has all the chips in front of him.

Wayne Rooney Will Score in the Final 20 Minutes

I could go for the boldest of bold and predict that Rooney will net a goal in the first 20 minutes.

But that would be pathetic—not prophetic.

Rooney's hardly what you'd call a first-half player. He prefers to sit back, get the pace of things, help out teammates, play the game up like a chess match and then strike as the game winds down. Of his last 10 goals in league play, four of them have come in the final 20 minutes.

He's going to get one in the back of the net as time expires.

...and He'll Do It Twice

Now that's the bold I'm talkin' about.

He's a scoring machine, folks, and he'll add to his tally of 20 league goals—second only to Arsenal striker Robin Van Persie. How else is Manchester United going to catch up to City's lead in goal differential?

Clint Dempsey Will Be Denied

Since playing Wolves on March 5, Dempsey has been subpar—which is too bad for the American. It's not that Dempsey has been in poor form, it's simply that his meteoric rise this season has put the biggest of targets on his back.

Swansea City had the perfect tactics against him, as midfielder Leon Britton and centre-backs Garry Monk and Steven Caulker combined perfectly to keep Dempsey at bay, and Aston Villa played a patient game with midfielder Chris Herd in helping to corral Fulham's best player.

Who can do the same for Manchester United? Paul Scholes for one. Ferguson loves sticking him in a zone where he's playing just 20 yards east and west of the halfway line. However, if the 37-year-old midfielder can't keep pace with the 29-year-old Dempsey, the youthful and energetic Pogba will be the man to get it done.

De Gea Will Earn His 8th Clean Sheet

The 21-year-old Spaniard has impressed as of late, carrying much of the team on his back against Athletic Bilbao in Europa League play and preventing a goal against league opponents since March 4.

With Manchester United's back four keeping Clint Dempsey at bay—Fulham's only real attacking option—De Gea will easily add to his clean sheet tally and make this his third consecutive shutout in league play.

Manchester United Will Win 3-0

Up until last week's 5-0 trouncing of poor Wolverhampton, Javier Hernandez was under a lot of fire. The young Mexican international had only scored one league goal since February 5—an important 84th-minute score to earn Manchester United a draw against Chelsea.

But last week, the 23-year-old forward scored twice, finding open space in Wolves' midfield and going completely unmarked for much of the second half.

It'll happen again at Craven Cottage and it'll be the icing on the cake for the Red Devils, who will gain an even greater lead on the Blues of Manchester City.

Will Manchester United get something out of this weekend's match against Fulham? Sure.

Will they get three points? That's my prediction—even if it's not that bold.

Comment and tell me if you agree!