Captain Wayne Rooney starts in central midfield in an injury-depleted Manchester United side at Premier League leaders Chelsea.

Striker Robin van Persie will not play in Manchester United’s derby against City on Sunday despite returning to first-team training.

Tyler Blackett has signed a two-year contract extension at Manchester United.

Midfielder Angel di Maria is back in training following his pelvic injury and could feature for Manchester United against Stoke on New Year’s Day.

Man United 3 Newcastle 1 Whether it is his decision to utilise Wayne Rooney in a deep-lying midfield role or take the unusual step of granting his players Christmas Day off, rarely a day goes by in this new era at Old Trafford without Louis van Gaal looking like the perfect man to restore Manchester United to their pre-eminent position in English football.

All the team news from around the grounds ahead of Week 16 in the Premier League - more to follow as it comes in.

Radamel Falcao and Marcos Rojo may be back to provide a huge boost for Manchester United against Hull on Saturday.

Manchester United have a shortage of centre-backs for Saturday’s home game against Crystal Palace.

When ‘Spanish Dave’ was enduring his stormy beginnings at Old Trafford, outsider knee-jerkers would often question his supposedly timorous temperament.

Juan Mata has apologised to Manchester United fans after the team’s embarrassing 5-3 defeat to Leicester.

Louis van Gaal is convinced Manchester United will bounce back from their 5-3 humbling at the hands of Leicester.

Premier League

Leicester 5 Man United 3

Manchester United: Our Angel ensures Christmas comes early

Deadline-day signing Radamel Falcao has to settle for a place on the bench as Manchester United look to record their first win of the season at home to QPR this afternoon.

All the team news from around the grounds ahead of Week 3 in the Premier League - more to follow as it comes in.

Manchester United defender Chris Smalling and midfielder Ander Herrera will have their condition assessed ahead of Tuesday’s Capital One Cup tie at Sky Bet League One outfit MK Dons.

Woodward has one week to save season

Jack Rodwell’s first Sunderland goal left Louis van Gaal still awaiting his first Barclays Premier League win as Manchester United collected their first point of the season.

Robin van Persie returns to the Manchester United starting line-up as manager Louis van Gaal goes in search of his first Barclays Premier League win at Sunderland.

Manchester United began their season with a whimper as Gylfi Sigurdsson gate-crashed Louis van Gaal’s Premier League bow at Old Trafford.

New Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal handed debuts to Jesse Lingard and Tyler Blackett as he looked to start his reign with a win over Swansea.

Louis van Gaal is sure Robin van Persie will have no problem accepting Wayne Rooney as the new captain of Manchester United.

Louis van Gaal has told Wayne Rooney he must relax if he is to be a successful leader of Manchester United.

There will be no Heineken Cup miracle match for Ronan O’Gara this weekend after the veteran fly-half picked up a one-week ban that rules him out of Sunday’s must-win final pool game with Racing Metro.

Munster fly-half Ronan O'Gara has been suspended for a week following his citing for kicking Edinburgh lock Sean Cox in a Heineken Cup fixture four days ago.

Leicester centre Manu Tuilagi was last night told he would have been facing prison and not just a five-week ban from rugby had his attack on Chris Ashton occurred on the street.

Mark Cueto will be available for England’s Rugby World Cup campaign – and the summer warm-up internationals – after he received a nine-week ban for gouging.

England star Ben Foden will face the Rugby Football Union’s disciplinary chief on Monday to explain his conduct after he was cautioned by police for causing criminal damage.

MUNSTER appear set to appeal Paul O’Connell’s four-week ban handed out by Heineken Cup chiefs yesterday.

THE Ospreys’ troubled preparations for Sunday’s Heineken Cup tie at Munster took a new twist yesterday after they were hit with yet another fine by rugby officials.

STADE FRANCAIS prop David Attoub is to appeal his 70-week ban for foul play.

Stade Francais prop David Attoub is to appeal his 70-week ban for foul play, it was announced today.

Stade Francais prop David Attoub has today been handed a 70-week ban for eye gouging by an independent judicial officer.

STADE FRANCAIS prop David Attoub faces a lengthy ban for gouging during a Heineken Cup game.

Stade Francais scrum-half Julien Dupuy was today handed a six-month ban for eye gouging Ulster flanker Stephen Ferris.

DAN CARTER’S disciplinary hearing has been postponed until today, at the request of the New Zealand team management. The case will be heard in London.

The ’bloodgate’ saga was finally drawn to a close tonight after the Rugby Football Union announced Harlequins will face no further charges over the scandal.

HEINEKEN CUP chiefs last night wound down their detailed Bloodgate investigation - but crisis club Harlequins are still not out of the woods.

The Rugby Football Union have expressed their "concern" about Tom Williams' claims that he felt under pressure from Harlequins not to make a full disclosure on the events behind the 'Bloodgate' scandal.

The Rugby Football Union’s disciplinary chief has decided to take no further action against Harlequins players allegedly involved in four occasions of using fake blood.

TOPSY OJO and Mike Brown have been found guilty of misconduct during England’s ill-fated tour to New Zealand.

Topsy Ojo and Mike Brown have been fined and reprimanded after being found guilty of misconduct following a report by Jeff Blackett, disciplinary officer of the Rugby Football Union, on the recent tour of New Zealand.

Northampton scrum-half Mark Robinson will receive a written warning and be urged to curb his language by English rugby’s senior disciplinary official after being cleared of making racially abusive remarks.