The cameras are focussed on Stephen Ireland warming up at Old Trafford. It's been too long since we saw him - can he find the old magic?

I did read a suggestion this week that the departure of Mark Hughes could see Bojan return to Stoke from being out on loan. As a neutral can I give that idea a big YES.

Image source, Getty Images

Alex Jeffs: Stevie Ireland! Didn’t realise he was still playing, I remember when he was seen as a promising Man City player

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BBC Radio 5 live

West Brom fan and broadcaster Adrian Chiles is telling some wonderful stories about the late Cyrille Regis at the moment on 5 live.

Well worth a listen back if you can.

Paul Lambert is in the stands nice and early at Old Trafford, chatting to club officials (I presume).

What will he make of his new side's display tonight?

Jose Mourinho said he "does not enjoy" feuding with fellow managers and claimed his latest dispute with Antonio Conte was over - despite appearing to call the Chelsea boss "a victim".

Manchester United manager Mourinho and Conte have been trading insults in a long-running row reignited last week.

Asked if he took pleasure from such exchanges, Mourinho said: "I don't.

"When I start them I take the responsibilities of that and I've started them many times," he added.

"When I don't start them it's quite funny for me to see people on the other side acting like victims when they're not the victims.

"But, really, I don't enjoy. That's why for me it's over."

BBC Radio 5 live

A reminder that you can hear Chris Waddle and Mark Chapman on 5 live right now talking Stoke, Manchester United and Cyrille Regis. Listen in by pressing play at the top of the page.

Full commentary to come from Conor McNamara.

Chris Waddle
Ex-England winger for Radio 5 live

Everyone seemed to turn the Stoke job down. Listen, Paul Lambert has done a good job at some clubs and not others.

But there seems to be a list of nine or 10 managers now who get sacked, wait a few months and then get another one.

There needs to be a turnaround, there are a lot of players past their sell by date in the Stoke squad.

Jose Mourinho has made three changes to his team from their last Premier League outing, the 2-0 win at Everton on New Year's day.

Romelu Lukaku returns to lead the line as Ander Herrera drops to the bench. In defence Chris Smalling and Antonio Valencia are back in the starting line-up as Marcos Rojo and Victor Lindelof make way.

Image source, BBC Sport

Meanwhile, Stoke first team coach Eddie Niedzwiecki has made five changes from the team that lost to Newcastle in their last league game.

New signing Moritz Bauer comes in at right-back for 18-year-old Tom Edwards, Josh Tymon replaces Erik Pieters and Bruno Martins-Indi comes in for Kevin Wimmer.

Stephen Ireland makes his first appearance since May 2016 in place of Charlie Adam, and Darren Fletcher starts in midfield as Geoff Cameron misses out.

Ryan Shawcross recently, sidelined by a calf problem, is not in the squad.

Image source, bbc

Matthew Vins: Lambert to Stoke City is a very uninspiring appointment. Hasn't succeeded since Norwich, and that team was built from League 1!

Martin Keown
Former Arsenal defender on Final Score

I think Jose Mourinho is right to go after Alexis Sanchez, and Mesut Ozil too. Imagine what it would do to Arsenal, and Man City, if Man United can get that pair. But I can't see Sanchez going anywhere other than City, it's a guaranteed league title for him if he goes there, there's no reason not to go.

Alan Shearer
Former Newcastle and England captain

Image source, Getty Images

It would be a huge coup for Manchester United if they snatch Alexis Sanchez from under Manchester City's nose, because they know Blues boss Pep Guardiola has been chasing him for a while now.

United's interest in the Arsenal forward came out of the blue when it was reported a few days ago but, from listening to their manager Jose Mourinho's news conference on Friday, it does sound like they have made a move for him and I can understand why.

Mourinho said he does not like to speak about other club's players, but then described Sanchez as "phenomenal", so it would definitely appear he wants him.

I would still be surprised if Sanchez ends up at Old Trafford, though, because since last summer it has seemed like he would be joining City at some point.

Turning away from Stoke's managerial appointment for a moment, are Manchester United about to make a big signing?

Chris Waddle
Ex-England winger for Radio 5 live

The Stoke team news surprises me. It's a positive team from Stoke, I was expecting them to park the bus and play more defensive players and try to catch United on the break.

Stephen Ireland has always been able to sniff a chance. I thought this would be a practice game for Manchester United tonight but maybe Stoke have a chance.

If you'd have predicted a month ago that Carlos Carvalhal and Paul Lambert would be Premier League managers by now, you'd have banked some very tasty odds down the bookies.

Will Lambert work out though?

Gregory Mandapat: The recycling of managers is a bit safe, going with experience over innovation. That is why the Rooney Rule that is used in American Football should be applied not just to the national team, but to the football league. Give new talent a chance to prove themselves.

Stoke City

When asked if his four-and-a-half-year Stoke reign was under threat on New Year's Day, Mark Hughes replied: "Who else is going to do it?"

We all laughed - but maybe he had a point.

Stoke's search for a successor has not exactly gone smoothly.

Here seems to be an approximation of the Stoke wishlist...

Image source, Getty Images

1. Quique Sanchez Flores
2. Gary Rowett
3. Martin O'Neill
4. Paul Lambert

Manchester United

Romelu Lukaku starts up front for Manchester United as they also recall Antonio Valencia as captain.

Stoke make seven changes from the team humbled at Coventry. Moritz Bauer gets a debut at right-back, Stephen Ireland makes his first Premier League start since April 2015 and Peter Crouch runs out up front.

Full team news to follow.

In other managerial news, Ryan Giggs has been appointed Wales manager on a four-year contract.

The 44-year-old former Manchester United winger succeeds Chris Coleman, wholeft for Sunderland in November.

Coleman's assistant Osian Roberts, former Wales striker Craig Bellamy and Mark Bowen were also interviewed.

Giggs had long been a target for the Football Association of Wales (FAW) and was the favourite for the role once Coleman departed after Wales failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup.

Martin Keown
Former Arsenal defender on Football Focus

You look at who Stoke bought in the summer - and it's an ageing group of players. But I think you've got to look at how the players, who were already at the club, let Mark Hughes down. There's plenty of quality in that squad, and they just haven't delivered for the manager, who's unfortunately got the sack.