"We are expected to put on a performance. We did last season at
this same time against United when they won the title here. But we
should have had a penalty, a blatant one from Rio (Ferdinand), and
that could have made all the difference. "But we gave them a hell
of a game then and we will do the same this time.
"Against the big boys, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, here we have
given then a run for their money and I hope we can match the
standards we have set for ourselves." But Bruce still has fond
memories of his time at Old Trafford, even if he is slightly
embarrassed by his chairman Dave Whelan's claims he could one day
replace Ferguson as manager there.
For the moment, Bruce prefers to think only of the great United
sides from the past that he captained. He said: "I have always said
the '94 team would have taken on anyone. I would still back it now,
that was a hell of a team. "But after we won the double that
season, that team never played together again. Paul Parker left,
Paul Ince, Mark Hughes, Andrei Kanchelskis followed. It was broken
up very quickly.
"But my view is that team, with Ryan Giggs, Eric Cantona, Roy
Keane, Peter Schmeichel and the rest would be a match for anyone.
"We were not as successful as this current United team, but we were
restricted by the daft rule about assimilated foreigners and all
that nonsense. But it was a great team."
He added: "And one of them, Ryan, is still going strong. I was
out for dinner with him a couple of weeks ago and he was still on
the Coca-Cola and lemonade then.
"There will never be a player so 'decorated' as him. And nobody
will play 800 times for United and stay at that level. I was
playing in '89 when he made his debut and scored.
"He is a fantastic ambassador, great player, and one who will
never be overtaken in terms of winning things. He was the young one
back then, taking the mickey out of me because I was an old
man.
"But you now see the likes of the Nevilles, Nicky Butt, Paul
Scholes and Ryan who are at the other end of their careers and
still going strong. They are now getting to the twilight of their
careers and it will be interesting to see what they do when they
finally pack in playing."
Wigan 'keeper Chris Kirkland is unlikely to have recovered from
his back injury to face United. Bruce has Richard Kingson on
stand-by, the Ghana international having come on as substitute for
Kirkland at West Brom on Saturday.
Wigan have a doubt over defender Paul Scharner, who has picked
up an ankle injury in training while Mido will be fit to return.
Striker Amr Zaki will be out with an ankle injury, which is not as
bad as was initially feared, with no damage to his ligaments.
