Filed under: Manchester United, Champions League, Football, Match Previews
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE, GROUP C: ESTADIO DO SPORT LISBOA E BENFICA, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2011. KICK-OFF: 1945.It may be a reunion of two teams that met in the European Cup final 43 years ago but all Sir Alex Ferguson is concerning himself with is reaching a fourth final in five years.
The pain of May's impotent loss to Barcelona - their second defeat to the Catalans in a final in three years - is still fresh, although Ferguson is just as unlikely to want to dwell on that.
The mantra, as always, is to look forward and Ferguson has made it plain that he wants another crack at Pep Guardiola's men in Munich in May.
Fresh in the memory is the 2-1 defeat in Lisbon in 2005 that deprived United of progression to the group phase of the Champions League, not something that has happened too often in the last couple of decades.
Ferguson has made it clear that he will employ as much experience as he can in the group's away games and he believes this fixture will be key in sorting who goes through in first and second place.
Key Match-up: Luisao v Wayne Rooney. Brazilian centre-back Luisao is easily identifiable as the rock that Benfica have been built on for the past six years and he recently signed a new deal to keep him in Lisbon until 2016. He will have to shackle a striker that has managed 10 goals in his last six matches for United and England. Rooney is back in his finest form and, dropping deeper behind Javier Hernandez, will pose the greatest threat to Benfica's hopes.
Form Guide: Benfica have started the season in fine form, with 10 points from their four matches and with four home victories from their four games in all competitions. United have started the season like a train, scoring 18 goals in their first four Premier League games.
Odds: Benfica 10/3, Manchester United 5/6, Draw 5/2.
MANCHESTER UNITED:
The misery of Wembley was less than four months ago but Ferguson's appetite for more remains undimmed.
Rather than pondering the enormity of it all, Ferguson is thinking about only one thing, reaching 10 points and quickly.
He has identified this match as key to giving United an easy time in the group phase, clearly rating the Portuguese side as a much stiffer test than either Basel or Romanian team Galati.
If United can get to double figures for points within four games, it will give Ferguson the flexibility to rotate ahead of the busy winter period.
But for now, it seems that he will opt for older heads before the vibrant youngsters that have characterised his team in the opening weeks of the season.
"The opening game is the toughest for us," Ferguson said. "Benfica are always a handful and we always expect a difficult game. I watched a couple of their games away from home last season and they were absolutely brilliant.
"I think the hardest part for us will be picking the midfield in that particular game. That area will be the biggest challenge. They operate with three midfield players in there.
"They don't play anyone off the front. They play three actual midfield players so we'll have to have a look at that.
"My team in Lisbon might be different on an issue of experience. We've also got Darren Fletcher back fit. He's looking good and did well with Scotland last week. I think we'll need to have more experience in the game.
"The important thing is to qualify. Benfica away from home is the kind of the game you have to respect."
Strategy: This could be an interesting one, although Tom Cleverley's injury limits Ferguson's options anyway. Last season he finished with a 4-4-1-1, with Rooney dropping into midfield and also supporting Hernandez. But the arrival of Ashley Young gives Ferguson much more variety and the ability to play a more natural 4-3-3 that served United well when Cristiano Ronaldo was at Old Trafford. Ferguson's European tactics will be fascinating as the season goes on.
Injury update: Rio Ferdinand was left in Manchester despite returning from a hamstring problem in the 5-0 win over Bolton at the weekend. Nemanja Vidic is still out with a calf problem, and Cleverley (foot), Danny Welbeck (hamstring) and Rafael (shoulder) are also absent.
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