Nani expects United to get rough ride from Stoke

MANCHESTER, United Kingdom (AFP) - Manchester United winger Nani is expecting a physical confrontation with Stoke when Sir Alex Ferguson's team returns to Old Trafford for the first time since their surprising loss to Tottenham.

Beaten twice already in their opening seven Premier League games of the season, United know there is little margin for error against Tony Pulis' side after their surprising 3-2 home reverse to Spurs late last month.

But Nani is also aware that Stoke - who may have only won one game this season but have also only lost one match, by a solitary goal at league leaders Chelsea - present a difficult fixture on the return from the international break.

"It is always hard to play against Stoke because they play a different kind of football to most teams in the Premier League," Nani told the club's in-house broadcaster MUTV.