Guy Mowbray
Match of the Day commentator

At the start of the year, Bournemouth were in the top half - 10 points clear of the bottom three. Only a remarkably prophetic few would have foreseen them in the battle near the bottom by March - but there they are.

They might have beaten Manchester United in the league  once before,  but a first win of 2017 in this game would be THE result of The Cherries' short top-flight life so far. Only their most remarkably optimistic supporters will predict it happening.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, PA

BREAKING NEWS: Spring has finally arrived in Manchester.

The sun is shining and short sleeves are out in force around Old Trafford.

Can Bournemouth find a spring in their step after a terrible run of form? 

Kick-off in around half an hour.

Tom Fordyce
Chief sports writer

"St Bede's College is a 140-year-old private school in leafy Whalley Range, mid-way between Fletcher Moss and the Etihad. It costs £3,595 per term to have a child educated there."Manchester City will now fund those fees for any boy signed to their academy, all the way through to GCSE exams, even if they are released at a younger age."  

Read Tom's investigation into the hunt for the newest Manchester talent here.

Football Focus

*SPOILER ALERT*

Heard the one about Les Ferdinand and the Blue Peter garden?

Football Focus

'When can you catch this bundle of Focused joy?' I hear you ask.

At 12:00 GMT. Enough time to make a quick cuppa and plonk yourself down on the settee. 

Flick the remote over to BBC One or watch right here online.

Football Focus

Dan Walker is joined in the studio by former England internationals Danny Murphy and Dion Dublin to preview a busy weekend of football. 

The show goes live to Leicester as they look to capitalise on Monday night's win over Liverpool. The Reds' boss Jurgen Klopp discusses their recent struggles, and Tottenham's French goalkeeper Hugo Lloris looks ahead to his side's match with Everton. 

Oliver Burke gives an insight into life at RB Leipzig, Trevor Sinclair catches up with former QPR teammate Les Ferdinand , who's now director of football at Loftus Road and Burnley and Republic of Ireland best friends Robbie Brady and Jeff Hendrick go back to school.

And talking of Football Focus...

 Football Focus presenter Dan Walker and pundit Dean Saunders have been casting their eyes over some of the best goals from the first round of the FA People's Cup.....  

You can watch a highlights programme from the first round of the FA People's Cup  on the iPlayer  and on the red button from 14:10 GMT on Saturday and throughout the weekend.  

Cheeky chips, celebrations and managerial sackings - watch the top 10 magic moments from the first round of the  FA People's Cup...... 

You can watch a full highlights programme from the first round of the  nationwide five-a-side competition  on the  iPlayer  and on the red button throughout the weekend.    

Image source, Rex / Shutterstock

Your rule changes are coming in thick and fast, here are a selection:

Saf Hashmat: Zero points for a 0-0 draw in a league game.

Facts & thoughts: Emergency sub if a player gets injured in the last 10mins and your team has used three subs.

James Bowman:  Introduce an Amber Card meaning 10 minutes in a sin bin. Amber + Yellow = Red. All problems solved. 

Amber and red just make me thinks of traffic lights. We need to think of a use for a green card. Maybe this earns you a free shot at goal?!

Keep them coming at #bbcfootball

Sitting on the bench at Old Trafford would not have been how Jack Wilshere envisaged his loan spell at Bournemouth. That's the reality though.

Unless he is still feeling the effects of the ankle injury which forced him off against Manchester CIty t'other week.

Image source, Reuters

Image source, #bbcfootball

Four changes for Manchester United from the side that started the EFL Cup victory at Wembley last Sunday.

In comes Wayne Rooney while defender Luke Shaw makes only his seventh Premier League start of the season. Michael Carrick returns to the midfield and Phil Jones is back in defence.

Making way are Eric Bailly, Chris Smalling, Ander Herrera and Wembley goalscorer Jesse Lingard.

Manchester United: de Gea, Valencia, Jones, Rojo, Shaw, Carrick, Pogba, Mata, Rooney, Martial, Ibrahimovic. Subs: Smalling, Lingard, Blind, Rashford, Romero, Ander Herrera, Fellaini.

Image source, #bbcfootball

Just the one change for Bournemouth - and it's pretty significant. There's no Jack Wilshere is the midfield. He's on the bench with forward Benik Afobe the only change from the side that started last Saturday's 2-1 defeat at West Brom.

Bournemouth: Boruc, A.Smith, S.Cook, Mings, Daniels, Arter, Surman, Fraser, King, Pugh, Afobe. Subs: Gosling, Gradel, B.Smith, Allsop, Wilshere, Ibe, Cargill.

Whatever 'M' you had Jose Mourinho down as - maverick, mischievous, misanthrope... - it probably wasn't monster. Still, it makes for a great headline.

Manchester United

Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho says he is "not the monster" he was once portrayed as, and that the club "are happy to have me around".

MATCH PREVIEW: Man Utd v Bournemouth

Image source, Reuters

Manager Jose Mourinho says he "100%" wants Wayne Rooney to stay at Manchester United and expects Zlatan Ibrahimovic to extend his contract.

Rooney, 31,  announced last week  that he is staying at Old Trafford, after being linked with a move to China.

The England captain has also been  linked, external  with a return to Everton, but Mourinho said talk about such a move "makes no sense".

Striker Ibrahimovic's one-season deal includes an option for a second year.

Image source, Getty Images

"The next transfer window will bring us to a different level because I will bring in a few players. ZIatan will be fundamental in the second year. I think he will stay," said Mourinho.

On Rooney, he added: "What I have is a very strong message, 'I don't go anywhere. I want to fight with this team and help until the end of season'. 100% he will be with us for rest of season.

"Next season, 100% I would like him to be with us, but always the player is very important."

Bournemouth

Jack Wilshere dropped to the bench for Bournemouth. His best mate Benik Afobe replaces him.

Cherries XI: Boruc, Smith, Cook, Mings, Daniels, Surman, Arter, Fraser, Pugh, King, Afobe.  

Manchester United

Captain Wayne Rooney returns to the Manchester United starting XI. 

Left-back Luke Shaw also plays a Premier League game for the first time since 29 October.

Man Utd XI: De Gea, Valencia, Jones, Rojo, Shaw, Carrick, Pogba, Mata, Rooney, Martial, Ibrahimovic. 

Image source, Gett

More of your rule changes below:

Chris Sharkey: Sin bin for not quite red card offences.

David Stephen Parker: Ball in play for 75 minutes or set time limits for corners, throw-ins, and free-kicks, with time for injuries strictly added. 

Spuradic:  I want to see 30 minutes of multiball instead of ending with penalty kicks.   

Multiball. Yes, that's what we're talking about! I would LOVE to see that. Our nostalgic photo above shows that keepers can handle seven balls at once...

Anymore? Tweet us at #bbcfootball

Jermaine Jenas
Former England midfielder on 5 live

Michael Carrick is a genius. I was fortunate to play with him and I'm shocked that he's only got 30-odd caps. The biggest problem he's had is that he is English.

If he was Italian or Spanish he would be celebrated like Andrea Pirlo or Sergio Busquets with 120 caps. He is a go-to player for Jose Mourinho and they will struggle to find anyone like him.