Sir Alex Ferguson is hoping Manchester United can end their Stamford Bridge hoodoo and take another step towards regaining the Premier League title at the weekend.

United, who beat Arsenal 1-0 at Old Trafford on Monday night to establish a two-point lead at the summit with a game in hand, will move six points clear of fourth-placed Chelsea with a win on Sunday. But they have not won at the Blues' west London home since April 2002.

Ferguson told Sirius XFM: "[It] is a massive game now. We used to have a terrific record at Chelsea, but not so much over the last few years and we haven't won there for eight years. It's a big game and we'll be ready for it. We've got good players and they have all had big-game experience for years now. Their experience is very important and the desire is still there with this club."

Defending champions Chelsea have taken just six points from their last seven league games but showed signs of promise in last Sunday's 1-1 draw at Tottenham Hotspur and would have won had it not been for Didier Drogba's injury-time penalty miss.

We used to have a terrific record at Chelsea, but not so much over the last few years and we haven't won there for eight years. It's a big game and we'll be ready for it.
Sir Alex Ferguson, Manchester United manager

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is set to stick with goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny for the home game with Stoke City on Saturday. Szczesny impressed after standing in for injured duo Manuel Almunia and Lukasz Fabianski at United and Wenger is happy for the young Pole to continue against the Potters.

He told Arsenal TV: "We have to test [Lukasz] in the next two days. He has a hip muscle injury. But Wojciech did well. People always questioned the goalkeeping position at Arsenal Football Club. But I always said we had four good goalkeepers - look at how well Vito Mannone is doing at Hull. We have plenty of quality."

Manchester City, who are level on points with Arsenal, have to wait until Monday before hosting Everton. It remains to be seen whether captain Carlos Tevez will play after a highly-publicised fall-out with senior City executives. Manager Roberto Mancini is confident the issue can be resolved.

He said: "This is an important season for us. We can change the history of the club. We have this group and Carlos is an important player for us. I hope he stays here. Together we can work well this year. I think we can always change our mind. I don't think he is really unhappy. But maybe there is another reason."

Other fixtures
The weekend action starts on Saturday lunchtime with Sunderland hosting Bolton Wanderers. A win by a two-goal margin for the home side will see them rise above their opponents and into fifth.

Later that afternoon, Birmingham City meet Newcastle United, under-pressure Avram Grant takes his West Ham United side to Blackburn Rovers, who are without a manager following Monday's surprise sacking of Sam Allardyce, while Aston Villa go to Wigan Athletic.

The evening game pits Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson against his former club Fulham. Hodgson is hoping to have captain Steven Gerrard back in the starting XI while Fernando Torres is also expected to play.

On Sunday, Tottenham Hotspur will hope to maintain their top-four push when they visit Blackpool while West Bromwich Albion and Wolverhampton Wanderers meet in a Black Country derby.