"Thursday nights, channel 5!" Those are the mocking chants of Manchester United's foes and the same self-deprecating and sarcastic roars bellowed out by our own supporters because of the club's involvement in Europe's junior competition -- the Europa League. Nonetheless, these are two of the world's most storied clubs as they have won 7 European Cups between them. Because of this, it is shocking that the only two encounters between the two clubs occurred during the 1976-77 season. Over a two-legged first-round UEFA Cup tie, Ajax left Amsterdam with a 1-0 lead but lost 2-1 on aggregate after United won 2-0 at Old Trafford. It may not be the most grand of stages, but the Europa League provides an opportunity for two proud European clubs to engage in a rare battle.

MANCHESTER UNITED

Form Guide: United come into this tie sitting 2nd in the Premier League table -- two points off the pace of leaders Manchester City. United parachuted down to the Europa League's round of 32 knockout stage after finishing 3rd in Group C of this season's UEFA Champions League. The club has not competed in Europe outside the Champions League since 1995. The Red Devils come into the match in good form as they have only lost once in their past seven matches -- a span that includes the time since Paul Scholes' return from retirement. United's most recent match was a 2-1 league defeat of rival Liverpool FC at the past weekend.

Team News: Injuries have been a hindrance to the squad for most of the season but the situation is trending towards the positive. Tom Cleverley, Nani, Phil Jones, and Chris Smalling have all recovered from their recent injuries as they have traveled with the squad to Amsterdam. However, Darren Fletcher and captain Nemanja Vidic are still ruled out for the season while Anders Lindegaard, Anderson, and Michael Owen are all still out with short-term injuries. Ryan Giggs, Dimitar Berbatov, and Patrice Evra have been left behind in Manchester. (United's 20-man traveling squad for Amsterdam)

AJAX

Form Guide: Off the pitch, Ajax are a club in turmoil as a recent power struggle between Johan Cruyff and Louis van Gaal has resulted in their board being disbanded. On the pitch, things aren't much better. The Dutch champions currently sit 6th in the Eredivisie table and 8 points shy of a Champions League spot. Just as United, Ajax parachuted down to the Europa League after finishing 3rd in Group D of the Champions League. However, their descent was arguably much harsher. On Matchday 6, Olympique Lyon scored a shocking 7 goals in the last 45+ minutes of their match with Dinamo Zagreb to overtake Ajax on a tiebreaker for 2nd place in the group -- this qualified Lyon for the Champions League knockout stages. During the past weekend, Ajax defeated NAC Breda 2-0 -- their only victory since the new year in all competitions.

Team News: Midfielder Theo Janssen missed his side's most recent match and it appears that he is out for this one as well. Right-back Gregory van der Wiel is apparently a doubt as is defender Andre Ooijer. Midfielder Eyong Enoh was substituted off at NAC Breda after sustaining a hamstring knock -- his status is uncertain.

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They meet again. This time at Old Trafford. Old foes -- Manchester United and Liverpool FC -- will clash on Saturday afternoon in a Premier League tie and they will involve themselves again in a heated rivalry whose intensity has become white hot once more. Prior to last season, the two North West clubs were deadlocked on 18 league titles apiece in England's top-flight. However, United manager Sir Alex Ferguson finally knocked Liverpool off their perch when the champions captured their record 19th title last May. The rivalry continued to flare up when Liverpool striker Luis Suarez was recently suspended eight-matches for racially abusing Patrice Evra during a league encounter in October -- one that resulted in a 1-1 stalemate. Suarez returned to action this past Monday at Anfield in a match versus Tottenham Hotspur. The Uruguayan was not available two weekends ago when Liverpool knocked United out of the FA Cup in a Round 4 tie at Anfield.

MANCHESTER UNITED

Form Guide: United come into the match having earned 55 points thus far through 24 matches -- that has the club 2nd in the Premier League table as they trail 'noisy neighbour' Manchester City by two points. The Red Devils earned three successive league victories prior their thrilling 3-3 draw with Chelsea FC at Stamford Bridge last weekend -- a match that United leveled after once trailing by three goals. The only other competition that the club is still involved in is the Europa League: United will face Dutch side Ajax on Thursday for the first match of a two-legged tie in the first round of that's competition's knock-out stages.

Team News: Injuries continue to hinder Fergie's side. Captain Nemanja Vidic, Darren Fletcher, Anders Lindegaard, and Michael Owen are all out for this match while the availability of Nani, Phil Jones, Tom Cleverley, and Anderson is in doubt. Chris Smalling's availability is unknown as well and Rio Ferdinand's persistent back issue is always a concern. A full team news report will be available here on TBB after Fergie's press conference on Friday morning.

*Update* -- According to Fergie during his Friday press-conference, Cleverley will be available for Liverpool. Jones is out for this match but he could feature versus Ajax at the midweek while Smalling may be available (Full Manchester United Team News Report).

LIVERPOOL

Form Guide: Kenny Dalglish's side have earned 39 points this season so far from 24 matches -- this has them sitting 7th in the table and four points shy of fourth place Chelsea -- a coveted spot for a proud club that has failed to participate in the UEFA Champions League for 2 entire seasons now. Liverpool have only earned one league victory since the new year began. However, Saturday's visitors are doing well in their domestic cup competitions. Liverpool will travel to Wembley at the end of February to face Championship side Cardiff City in the Carling Cup final and they have also earned passage to the FA Cup's 5th round after defeating United in 4th round.

Team News: Liverpool have a relatively clean bill of health. While influential holding-midfielder Lucas Leiva is out for the season with an ACL injury, no other player has been ruled out for this match at the time of this preview being published. Jose Enrique is considered a doubt though as the left-back missed Liverpool's previous match versus Spurs.

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On (Super Bowl)* Sunday, Manchester United will be in West London to face a foe that has been a title-contending rival for the better part of the past decade -- Chelsea FC. The two sides clashed five times during the calendar year of 2011: once this season during the reverse fixture when United emerged as 3-1 victors at Old Trafford, twice last season in Premier League action when each side won their respective home fixture, and twice over a two-legged UEFA Champions League quarter-final tie when United won by a 3-1 aggregate. As you may have astutely deduced, the one time Chelsea avoided defeat during these five encounters was during this same fixture last season -- a 2-1 league defeat of United at Stamford Bridge. The Bridge is also a venue where United have not won at since 2002 in league play.

* Sorry, even here, you can't escape the onslaught of Super Bowl promos! My pick is Patriots 31 Giants 28 if you happen to be wondering. You don't care? Okay, moving on...

MANCHESTER UNITED

Form Guide: United come into the match level on points with Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table. However, the 'noisy neighbours' have a +6 goal differential advantage. The last match for the champions was a comfortable 2-0 defeat of Stoke City at the midweek. Prior to that, the Red Devils followed successive league defeats with successive league victories. Thus, United have picked up the maximum points in their last three league matches. During the past weekend, elimination from the FA Cup occurred at Anfield during a 1-2 defeat by Liverpool.

Team News: Injuries have seemingly been a season-long concern for United but the news in that regard is trending towards the positive end of the spectrum. The big setback from this week is the announcement that goalkeeper Anders Lindegaard will be out for at least four weeks due to an ankle ligament injury sustained in training. However, during his weekly press conference on Friday, manager Sir Alex Ferguson revealed that the likes of Wayne Rooney, Nani, Tom Cleverley, and Ashley Young have all recovered from their injuries and all may be in the squad on Sunday. Along with Lindegaard, the following players are also out for this match: Nemanja Vidic, Darren Fletcher, Phil Jones, and Michael Owen. Anderson is also a doubt. (Full Manchester United Team News Report)

CHELSEA

Form Guide: It's been a difficult season for the Blues as their title hopes appear to have faded -- finishing at least fourth and qualifying again for next season's UEFA Champions League is very much the aim right now. Chelsea's last league match came at the midweek and it resulted in a 1-1 draw with Swansea City at Liberty Stadium. In their last eight league matches, the West Londoners have only picked up the full three points on two occasions. The past weekend saw Chelsea advance into round 5 of the FA Cup after their 1-0 defeat of Queens Park Rangers during a West London derby. On February 21, Andre Villa-Boas' side will begin a two-legged Champions League knockout stage tie versus Serie A side Napoli.

Team News: Chelsea will be missing a number of key players for this match due to injury, suspension, and the African Cup of Nations (AFCoN). Chelsea captain John Terry -- who was stripped of the England captaincy on Friday by the FA -- is out for the match due to a bone oedema issue in his knee. Midfielders Ramires and John Obi Mikel are also unavailable due to injury while Frank Lampard will undergo a fitness test on Saturday during training in order to determine whether or not if he can feature. Ashley Cole is suspended for the match after being sent off versus Swansea while both Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou are both unavailable due to their involvement with Ivory Coast in the AFCoN. (Full Chelsea Team News Report)

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It's a quick turnaround for Manchester United after their FA Cup defeat by Liverpool FC on Saturday as Sir Alex Ferguson's lads get ready to host Stoke City on Tuesday night for a Premier League tie. During the reverse fixture at the Britannia in September, United lost their then 100% record after a 1-1 draw resulted. In that match, Nani opened the scoring in the 27th minute when he fired a shot past goalkeeper Asmir Begovic. In the 52nd minute, Peter Crouch rose high and headed home the equaliser from a Matthew Etherington cross.

MANCHESTER UNITED

Form Guide: The Red Devils come into the match sitting 2nd in the league table after 22 matches. They trail 'noisy neighbour' Manchester City by 3 points. As mentioned in the opening paragraph, United's most recent match saw them eliminated from the FA Cup after their 2-1 defeat by Liverpool at Anfield. In league play, Fergie's side has recovered well after successive losses to Blackburn Rovers and Newcastle United near the new year -- a 3-0 victory against Bolton Wanderers at Old Trafford and a 2-1 away defeat of Arsenal FC at the Emirates followed.

Team News: Injuries continue to be a major concern for the squad. The likes of captain Nemanja Vidic, Darren Fletcher, Tom Cleverley, and Michael Owen are still out due to long-term injuries while Wayne Rooney, Nani, and Phil Jones are also expected to unavailable for this match. Ashley Young is a doubt as well for this match but the winger is expected to return to training during the midweek. Anderson was expected to return to training by today and he could possibly be included for this match. Rio Ferdinand was fit enough to make the bench versus Liverpool and he is expected to be fit for selection against Stoke -- assuming his chronic back injury doesn't flare up on him again.

STOKE CITY

Form Guide: The Potters come into the clash sitting 8th in the league table. Stoke's most recent match occurred at the past weekend as Tony Pulis' side defeated Derby County 2-0 during a FA Cup Round 4 tie. The league form of the visitors has dipped as of late as they've only earned a single victory during their last six encounters. During this stretch, Stoke have only picked up 6 points. Just as United is, Stoke are in the knockout stages of the Europa League as they are set for a two-legged tie versus La Liga side Valencia. Who would have ever anticipated a Stoke vs. Valencia match-up in European competition?! It will be interesting to see how a Spanish side handles a cold night in Stoke...

Team News: Injuries are a very minor concern for the club. Etherington was substituted off at the weekend after sustaining a groin injury. The unavailability of the winger for this match is unknown.

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What is the reward for Manchester United after their impressive FA Cup Round 3 defeat of 'noisy neighbour' Manchester City? Answer: the English FA's nightmare scenario of Sir Alex Ferguson's side traveling to Anfield for a bitter clash with rival Liverpool FC -- and this occurs just 3 months after the infamous incident of Luis Suarez racially abusing Patrice Evra at the same ground. Although this clash is one that is always eagerly anticipated, it is a match whose commitment and passion often leads to dull football -- and in this particular case, because of the increased animosity caused recently by the Suarez/Evra feud, the viciousness and nastiness of the rivalry will almost certainly be heightened.

During the league match in October, Steven Gerrard put his side ahead in the 68th minute when his free-kick from 25 yards found a hole in United's wall and beat goalkeeper David de Gea. In the 81st minute -- just five minutes after coming on as a substitute -- Javier Hernandez (Chicharito) equalised for United and the match ended as a 1-1 stalemate. It was just over a year ago when Kenny Dalglish returned to Liverpool as manager during a FA Cup Round 3 tie at Old Trafford -- it was one that saw the Red Devils emerge victorious by a 1-0 scoreline.

MANCHESTER UNITED

Form Guide: United currently sit 2nd in the Premier League table as they trail leaders City by three points. After suffering from successive league defeats at around the new year, Fergie's lads have recovered nicely with three successive victories in all competitions -- this includes an away defeat of City at the Etihad during the previous FA Cup round and also an away defeat of Arsenal in league play last weekend at the Emirates.

Team News: It appears that as many as 12 players may potentially be unavailable for the match at Anfield. Darren Fletcher and captain Nemanja Vidic are out for the remainder of the season due to illness and injury, respectively. In addition, the likes of Ashley Young, Tom Cleverley, Michael Owen, Anderson, Phil Jones, and Nani appear to out as well. Furthermore, both Wayne Rooney and Michael Carrick sustained knocks last weekend versus Arsenal and their availability is in question too. Rio Ferdinand missed last week's match as well due to his chronic back issue and his status for this match is uncertain.

LIVERPOOL

Form Guide: Liverpool come into the match sitting 7th in the league table. Dalglish's side has failed to secure a league victory during the new year as their last one came on December 30 versus Newcastle United. However, Liverpool earned a berth to the Carling Cup final with a 3-2 aggregate victory over City -- the latter half of the two-legged affair took place during the past midweek. A 5-1 defeat of League One side Oldham Athletic at Anfield in Round 3 allowed Liverpool to qualify for this upcoming match.

Team News: Injuries aren't nearly as big of concern to Dalglish and his squad as it is for Fergie and his squad. However, influential holding-midfielder Lucas Leiva is out for the season due to an ACL injury while the availability of his deputy -- Jay Spearing -- is in question due to a hamstring injury. Suarez is also unavailable for this match as the Uruguayan is currently serving an 8-match ban for the previously mentioned racial abusing of Evra.

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Manchester United will look to continue there good form, and keep the pressure up on Man City with a victory at Arsenal on Sunday. Earlier on in the day, City will face Spurs in Manchester on a day that pits four of the Premier Leagues top five against each other (Chelsea, who sit 4th, drew with Norwich 0-0 earlier today).

The reverse fixture at Old Traffod was very early in the season. That unforgettable 8-2 demolition. Rooney grabbed a hat trick, a brace for Ashley Young and a goal for Danny Welbeck, Nani and Park. Walcott and Van Persie were the scorers for the Gunners. (Lets hope for more of the same please)

Last time out

United beat Bolton fairly easily. Goals from Scholes, Welebck and Carrick saw us pick up the three points. In contrast Arsenal fell to Swansea last Sunday in a cracker of a game. An early Van Persie goal was pegged back by Swansea's Scott Sinclair (Pen). Nathan Dyer put them ahead and Danny Graham scored the winner less than a minute after Theo Walcott's equaliser.

Team news

The big news is that Chris Smalling and Phil Jones are back. I think Smalling pretty certain to start, but where depends on the fitness of Rio Ferdinand. It has been rpeorted that his back went again during training and he is a doubt for the game. If he misses out I expect Smalling to partner Jonny Evans with Phil Jones at RB. Young, Anderson, Vidic, Cleverley and Fletcher are all out.

Arsenal are missing their regular and back up full backs. Sagna, Jenkinson, Gibbs and Santos are all out. This leaves Johann Djourou and Ignasi Miquel playing RB and LB. Wilshire has started running but the game is too soon for him. Arteta is out injured and Thomas Vermaelen is a big doubt. Thierry Henry is to have a late fitness test. Strikers Marouane Chamakh and Gervinho are away at the African Nations Cup.

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Manchester United return to Premier League action on Saturday when they host Bolton Wanderers at Old Trafford. During the reverse fixture in September, Wayne Rooney scored his second successive hat-trick while Javier Hernandez (Chicharito) bagged a brace during United's 5-0 defeat of the Trotters at the Reebok. The Reds have not faced the Lancashire club in any other competition this season.

MANCHESTER UNITED

Form Guide: While level on points with Tottenham Hotspur, the Reds hold the goal differential advantage and as a result, they are 2nd in the table. Both clubs are three points shy of leaders Manchester City. United have lost successive matches in league but ended their losing streak during the past weekend with a 3-2 defeat of City in a FA Cup tie. Prior to those league losses, United had gone 9 matches unbeaten in league.

Team News: The congestion of the holiday fixture list came at a time when United were reeling injury wise. However, the trend as of late has been mostly positive as some players have recovered and others near a return. In defense, captain Nemanja Vidic continues to be out with his season-ending injury and Fabio is unlikely to be unavailable too. Rio Ferdinand may be a fitness concern as well after tweeting on Thursday that he had some sort of stomach ailment. In midfield, Tom Cleverley and Darren Fletcher continue to be out and it appears that Darron Gibson is on the verge of a move to Everton. In attack, both Ashley Young and Michael Owen are still recovering from injury. We will provide a team news report after manager Sir Alex Ferguson's weekly press conference on Friday morning.

BOLTON WANDERERS

Form Guide: Bolton is in a fight to avoid relegation as they currently sit in the relegation zone at 18th in the table. The Trotters come into the match unbeaten in their last three matches in all competitions -- including a 2-1 away victory over Everton in their last league match. The past weekend saw Bolton earn a 2-2 draw versus League Two side Macclesfield Town in FA Cup action. As a result, a replay has been forced for the upcoming midweek.

Team News: No. 1 Jussi Jaaskelainen has a thigh injury and it is uncertain if he will be recovered in time for Saturday's match. Sean Davis and Marcos Alonso have knocks on their knee and ankle, respectively, and it's uncertain if either is available. Tyrone Mears, Lee Chung-yong, and Stuart Holden all continue to be out with long-term injuries.

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On Sunday afternoon, Manchester United will visit their 'noisy neighbours' at Etihad Stadium when they clash with Manchester City for a FA Cup Round 3 tie. The two rivals met once in league this season and if you're a United supporter, you likely don't want reminding on what happened. United and City also faced one another at Wembley in August during the FA Community Shield. City went ahead 2-0 in the first half but United stormed back to not only level the match, but also to nick it at the end when Nani scored the winner four minutes into stoppage time. City are the current holders of the FA Cup and it was them who eliminated the Red Devils last season during the semi-final.

MANCHESTER UNITED

Form Guide: After closing the five point gap on leaders City to go level with them on points prior to last weekend, United then proceeded to drop six points during the week in defeats by bottom-of-the-table Blackburn Rovers and Newcastle United. Prior to this disastrous week, the Reds had gone 9 matches unbeaten in league since October's derby debacle. United currently sit second in the table after 20 matches, just three points shy of City.

Team News: During manager Sir Alex Ferguson's weekly press conference on Friday, he revealed that there is no new news to report on the injury front. Depending on one's perspective, this is both good and bad. The good is that there are no apparent new injuries after Wednesday's match versus Newcastle but the bad is that a plethora of players continue to be unavailable. The likes of Ashley Young, Darren Fletcher, Nemanja Vidic, Fabio, Michael Owen, Tom Cleverley, Chris Smalling, and Jonny Evans continue to be out due to either injury or illness. In addition, there are concerns whether Rio Ferdinand and Ryan Giggs are fit to feature again after participating in the Newcastle match.

MANCHESTER CITY

Form Guide: City also suffered a surprising defeat at the weekend when Sunderland's Ji Dong-won nicked the winner four minutes into stoppage time for the Black Cat's 1-0 win. The leaders rebounded nicely with a 3-0 over Liverpool FC during the midweek and with United dropping points during the midweek, City are alone again at top of the table.

Team News: Injuries are not a major concern for manager Roberto Mancini as only striker Mario Balotelli has been ruled out due to that reason. However, City will also be without midfield stalwart Yaya Toure and brother Kolo due to their upcoming participation for Ivory Coast in the African Cup of Nations. Furthermore, midfielder Gareth Barry is also unavailable due to a suspension from a red-card during the Liverpool match. Mancini is hopeful that striker Edin Dzeko and midfielder Samir Nasri will be available for selections as they are dealing with a knee injury and illness, respectively. Former United midfielder Owen Hargreaves has his usual injury doubts but he may be in contention for selections. (City Team News report)

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