No place for Owen in United squad

Dimitar Berbatov and Ryan Giggs returned to the Manchester United starting line-up for this afternoon’s Premier League encounter – but Michael Owen did not even make the bench despite the striker’s claim he is now fully fit.

Dimitar Berbatov and Ryan Giggs have returned to the Manchester United starting line-up for this afternoon’s Premier League encounter – but Michael Owen has not even made the bench despite the striker’s claim he is now fully fit.

Nani and Darren Fletcher are missing from the United side that beat Arsenal a fortnight ago and were looking to consolidate their place at the top of the table.

Sunderland have already shown their capabilities with a stunning win at Chelsea last month.

But the chances of a repeat have been reduced markedly by the absence of seven players, including Danny Welbeck, who is on loan from United.

Man Utd: Van der Sar, Rafael Da Silva, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Park, Carrick, Anderson, Giggs, Rooney, Berbatov.

Subs: Kuszczak, Neville, Smalling, Hernandez, Macheda, Gibson, Bebe.

Sunderland: Gordon, Onuoha, Ferdinand, Elmohamady, Bardsley, Malbranque, Henderson, Riveros, Zenden, Bent, Gyan.

Subs: Mignolet, Angeleri, Da Silva, Meyler, Cook, Adams, Reed.

Referee: Phil Dowd.