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PREMIER LEAGUE
Venue: Old Trafford Date: Saturday, 16 May Kick-off: 1245 BST
Coverage: Live commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live, score updates on Final Score; live text commentary on BBC Sport website; Highlights - Match of the Day

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Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson wants his side to clinch the title on home turf by taking at least a point from their match against Arsenal.

Premier League officials have made arrangements to present the trophy at Old Trafford after the final whistle.

"We have another opportunity to win it in front of our own fans - it would be nice to do it," said Ferguson.

Only one of United's 10 Premier League titles has been won at home - in 1999, with a 2-1 victory against Tottenham.

"I have always said I don't care where we win it," added Ferguson.

606: DEBATE
"With Arshavin back in our squad, we'll put your party on hold "
Denilson Da Silva

"But it is strange that we have won it once out of 10 at Old Trafford."

His club also won seven pre-Premier League titles, but Ferguson denied that the prospect of equalling Liverpool's historic record of 18 league titles was on his mind.

The Scot said that his famous vow upon arriving at the club to "knock Liverpool off their perch" was achieved with his first title 16 years ago.

"I never even thought about moving level with Liverpool," said Ferguson.

"My first intention was to win one and break the stranglehold Liverpool had on the title. The big challenge was that first one."

Arsenal helped break Liverpool's near-monopoly on the old Division One with wins in 1989 and 1991, but Ferguson believes they will be keen to do the Merseysiders a favour by extending the title race into the final day of the season.

"They have had a bit of criticism recently and they will want to register their abilities on a day when everyone expects Manchester United to win the title," he said.

If Arsenal are to send United to Hull still needing a result they will need to win without keeper Manuel Almunia, who is out with an ankle problem.

Long-term absentee Tomas Rosicky is back in training but has been ruled out for competitive action until next season, while Gael Clichy (back), William Gallas (knee) and Eduardo (groin) will all remain on the sidelines.

England defender Rio Ferdinand misses out again for United with a calf injury but could return for the final match of the season against Hull next weekend.

Ferdinand will be joined in the stands at Old Trafford by Olympic 100m and 200m champion and United fan Usain Bolt, who spent Friday at the club's training ground.

Bolt, who is in Manchester to race at the Great CityGames, gave some tips to the players - including Cristiano Ronaldo - on how to keep their feet when running at full speed.

Darren Fletcher, suspended for the Champions League final, could start.

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Man Utd (from): Van der Sar, Foster, Kuszczak, Rafael, O'Shea, Neville, Vidic, Evans, Evra, Ronaldo, Nani, Carrick, Scholes, Fletcher, Anderson, Park, Giggs, Rooney, Tevez, Berbatov, Macheda.

Arsenal (from): Fabianski, Sagna, Toure, Silvestre, Gibbs, Arshavin, Song, Fabregas, Walcott, van Persie, Adebayor, Mannone, Nasri, Eboue, Bendtner, Denilson, Diaby, Djourou, Vela.

BIG-MATCH FACTS

Manchester United will be crowned 2008-09 Premier League champions, if they avoid defeat in this Saturday lunchtime fixture with Arsenal.

They will become the first club to claim two hat-tricks of English top-flight titles; their first was also in the Premier League (1999, 2000 and 2001). Only four clubs have done the hat-trick; the others were Huddersfield (1924, 25 and 26), Arsenal (1933, 34 and 35) and Liverpool (1982, 83 and 84).

It will also be Sir Alex Ferguson's 11th English league title and the 14th domestic league championship of his managerial career. The 67-year-old Scot will become the most decorated manager in English and Scottish football with 31 major titles (excluding the World Club Championship), passing the 30 accumulated by Bill Struth for Rangers between 1920 and 1954 and by Willie Maley for Celtic between 1897 and 1940.

In retaining the Premier League crown for an unprecedented sixth time (1993, 97, 2000, 2001, 2008 and 2009), United will also equal Liverpool's record of 18 English top-flight titles, 11 of which have been in the Premier League.

Arsenal go to Old Trafford eager to avenge the 1-3 mauling they received at the Emirates in the second leg of the Champions League semi-final on 5 May. Victory would see them do the double over the Red Devils for the fourth time in the Premier League and first since 2006-07.

This will be the 40th time the two managers, who are the longest serving in the Premier League, have faced each other. Sir Alex now has the edge since United's home and away victories in the Champions League. United have won 15 times, Arsenal 14 under Arsene Wenger. Eight of the 10 other games finished level and two were decided on penalty shoot-outs; United won the 2003 Community Shield, and Arsenal the 2005 FA Cup final on penalties.

Distance between the clubs: 192 miles (309 kilometres)

CLUB FORM

MANCHESTER UNITED

Club stats

1st 86 points

Highest achievable after Saturday's matches: 1st

Lowest could fall: 1st

Best & Worst categories in 2008-09 Premier League

1. Won 18 of the last 20 Premier League matches.

2. Lost two of 25 top-flight matches, and failed to score in one of the last 20. Since losing 2-0, away to Fulham on 21 March, 18 goals have been scored in seven outings.

3. This is their 64th match of the season; more than any other Premier League club. Arsenal are the second busiest top-flight club. It will be their 60th engagement.

4. The current total of 86 points after 36 games is five points up on last season, when they were also top of the table. Maximum points from their last two games would see them amass their highest total in a 20-club Premier League, and equal the 92 points accrued from 42 games in 1993-94.

5. Gone 20 league games since a goalless draw; the last being away to Spurs on 13 December. Also, on the longest current sequence of 28 matches in the Premier League without a score draw; the 1-1 stalemate at Everton on 25 October being the most recent.

6. The only home points dropped this season have been courtesy of defeat to Liverpool (1-4, 14 March), and an early draw with Newcastle (1-1, 17 August).

7. Been beaten home and away only once this season, by Liverpool. Arsenal is the only other club who could do likewise.

8. The Premier League campaign ends, away to Hull on 24 May, three days before the Champions League final with Barcelona in Rome.

Fixtures

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ARSENAL

Club stats

4th 68 points

Highest achievable after Saturday's matches: 4th

Lowest could fall: 4th

Best & Worst categories in 2008-09 Premier League

1. Chelsea put paid to a 21-match unbeaten Premier League sequence.

2. Won 12 and drew nine of the 21 prior to last Sunday's home clash with Guus Hiddick's men.

3. Conceded a goal a game on average in this league campaign; 36 in 36.

4. Maximum points from their last two games will still see them finish with nine fewer than last season when third. They must be content with fourth place this year and must once again qualify to reach the group stages of the Champions League.

5. On the longest current unbeaten run away from home in the highest league of 11 matches; won six and drawn five on the road since losing 3-0 to Manchester City at Eastlands on 22 November.

6. In danger of back-to-back defeat to fellow members of the 'Big Four'; but their two away games against the elite have been a 1-2 win over Chelsea and a 4-4 draw with Liverpool.

7. This match provides the opportunity for a seventh and last Premier League double this season, having already registered home and away victories over Wigan (the highest placed at 11th), Bolton, Blackburn, Portsmouth, Newcastle and West Brom.

8. A fourth season without silverware concludes home to Stoke on 24 May.

Fixtures

KEY PLAYER NOTES

MANCHESTER UNITED

Squad profiles

Edwin VAN DER SAR is leading the race for the Barclays Golden Glove with 20 clean sheets.

Cristiano RONALDO is the highest scoring Premier League player with 26 goals in all club competitions this season.

The 24 year old Portugal international is also the top scorer in the Premier League with 18 goals, leading the race for the Barclays Golden Boot by one from Chelsea's Nicolas ANELKA.

Wayne ROONEY is a hat-trick shy of 100 goals for Manchester United.

Paul SCHOLES needs a double to reach 100 Premier League goals - all for United.

Ryan GIGGS is a double shy of 150 goals for Manchester United.

If selected:-

Patrice EVRA will be playing the day after turning 28.

Michael CARRICK will be making his 300th career league appearance (West Ham, Swindon, Birmingham, Tottenham and Manchester United).

Rio FERDINAND will be making his 400th career league appearance (West Ham, Bournemouth, Leeds and Manchester United).

Jonny EVANS will be making his 50th career league appearance (Manchester United and Sunderland).

Tomasz KUSZCZAK will be making his 50th career Premier League appearance (West Brom and Manchester United).

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ARSENAL

Squad profiles

Emmanuel ADEBAYOR is Arsenal's top Premier League scorer with 10 goals.

If selected:-

Manu EBOUE will be making his 150th appearance in an Arsenal shirt.

Mikael SILVESTRE will be facing a former club. The 31 year old France international defender made 361 appearances (249 in the league) and scored 10 goals (six league) for Manchester United between September 1999 and his close season move to the Emirates Stadium.

HEAD TO HEAD

Arsenal have won one of their last six Premier League visits to Old Trafford; 0-1 on 17 September 2006.

Home and away

League (inc PL): Man Utd 72 wins, Arsenal 66, Draws 41

Prem: Man Utd 13 wins, Arsenal 10, Draws 10

at Man Utd only

League (inc PL): Man Utd 50 wins, Arsenal 15, Draws 24

Prem: Man Utd 9 wins, Arsenal 3, Draws 4

LAST SEASON'S CORRESPONDING GAME

Manchester United 2-1 Arsenal

13 April 2008 - Ref: Howard Webb

Man Utd scorers: Ronaldo 54 pen, Hargreaves 72

Arsenal scorer: Adebayor 48

THIS SEASON'S REVERSE FIXTURE

Arsenal 2-1 Manchester United

8 November 2008 - Ref: Howard Webb

Arsenal scorers: Nasri 22, 48

Man Utd scorer: Rafael Da Silva 90

REFEREE

Mike Dean (Wirral)

Premier League referees' table

Mike Dean's 2008-09 Premier League card count