Sports Mole previews Manchester United's Premier League clash with Stoke City at Old Trafford as the improving hosts seek a fourth consecutive victory.

Manchester United will be hoping to maintain their recent momentum when they entertain Stoke City in the Premier League on Tuesday evening.

The Red Devils beat Hull City 3-0 on Saturday for a third straight win, and there was an ominous sense of inevitability about how they dispatched the Tigers.

The comfortable home victory lifted Louis van Gaal's side back into the top four of the table, after they were briefly displaced by Arsenal over the weekend.

Having tarnished Steve Bruce's 700th game as a manager, United now prepare to inflict misery upon another former favourite as Mark Hughes brings his 12th-placed Potters side to Old Trafford.

Stoke suffered consecutive top-flight defeats for the first time this season by conceding late on at Liverpool, and they now stay in the North-West for the second part of a tough double-header.

Hughes felt hard done by after Glen Johnson's 86th-minute winner at Anfield, where the ever-improving Bojan hit the post with the scores goalless, and forced a vital stoppage-time save from Simon Mignolet.

His hopes of response have been hampered by a double midfield injury blow, with Steve Sidwell picking up a knock and Glenn Whelan back on the sidelines only weeks after his return from a broken leg.

Injuries too continue to frustrate Van Gaal, with Angel di Maria the latest casualty, having picked up a hamstring strain against Hull. Phil Jones, Luke Shaw, Rafael, Daley Blind and Jonny Evans remain out.

Ander Herrera was the Argentine's 13th-minute replacement and should be given a first start since the 2-2 draw with West Bromwich Albion in October, in what could be an otherwise-unchanged home lineup.

Robin van Persie was back among the goals and will likely keep Radamel Falcao out of the side, although the Colombian may still get a start as in-form captain Wayne Rooney is a doubt with a calf problem.

Ashley Young and Antonio Valencia will again be asked to operate as full-backs in an attacking team, but the strike pairing of a potentially-rejuvenated Van Persie and Rooney, with Juan Mata in the number 10 role, will give United confidence that they can outscore just about anyone at home.

Stoke are sweating on the fitness of ex-United right-back Phil Bardsley, who they hope will be available to allow Geoff Cameron to move into midfield to compensate for the losses of Sidwell and Whelan.

Another former Red Devil with a point to prove is Mame Biram Diouf, who scored once in five Premier League substitute appearances over a two-and-a-half-year spell at the Theatre of Dreams several seasons ago.

The Senegalese forward has four in 14 for the Potters this term, but may be shifted out wide on Tuesday to accommodate Peter Crouch, who represents a more threatening option against United than Marko Arnautovic.

The Manchester giants have won 10 out of their last 12 games against Stoke, but lost 2-1 at the Britannia Stadium in February.

Man United:

Recent form: DDLWWW

Possible starting lineup: De Gea; Valencia, Smalling, Rojo, Young; Carrick, Herrera, Fellaini; Mata; Rooney, Van Persie

Stoke:

Form in Premier League: WLDWLL
Form in all competitions: LLDWLL

Possible starting lineup: Begovic; Bardsley, Shawcross, Wilson, Pieters; Cameron, N'Zonzi; Walters, Bojan, Diouf; Crouch

Sports Mole says: 3-1