Alex Ferguson takes charge for game 900 with United

Ryan Giggs professed to be shocked by his Sports Personality of the Year award, but he will have another evening to contemplate it tonight as he is unlikely to feature for United as they take on Wolves in the Premier League.

After the shock of losing to Aston Villa on Saturday, United will he hoping for more success against another midlands team although they are still shorn of several big names.

Rafael and Edwin van der Sar could make comebacks but Gary Neville, Fabio, John O'Shea, Jonny Evans, Rio Ferdinand and Owen Hargreaves are all still sidelined.

Wolves's last win at Old Trafford came in February 1980 in the old First Division and their manager Mick McCarthy says he is expecting a backlash from the champions.

Tonight will be Sir Alex Ferguson's 900th league game in charge of United, and Giggs says he expects his manager to get to the 1,000 mark.

Asked who would retire first he said: "I think it will be me. The manager is as good as ever and will go on for a long time. I can still see him as manager of United in five years' time, easily, because as long as he is healthy he will have the desire to carry on."

United's conquerors on Saturday, Aston Villa travel to Sunderland knowing that a win will lift them back into third place in the table. Martin O'Neill may have to rejig his defence after Stephen Warnock suffered whiplash at Old Trafford.

Sunderland boss Steve Bruce has some injury problems with Anton Ferdinand, Bolo Zenden, Craig Gordon, Lee Cattermole and John Mensah all out. He has also tipped Villa to finish in the top four this season, but will be hoping to end Villa's current run. A win would put Sunderland level on points with Liverpool.

Tonight's other games see high flying Birmingham - eighth in the table - take on Blackburn in a game that is likely to be a low scoring encounter given the two teams' recent records.

In a bottom of the table clash Bolton entertain West Ham. ·