Sir Alex Ferguson believes his United side may need to produce
its best away performance in Europe this season if the Reds are to
reach the Champions League final.
United are 3-2 up against AC Milan after the first leg at Old
Trafford. But, with two away goals in their favour and a formidable
reputation at the San Siro, the tie is relatively evenly
poised.
United have lost to Copenhagen, Celtic and AS Roma on the road in
the competition this season and even the narrow 1-0 victories over
Benfica and Lille will have to be improved upon, according to the
United boss.
We have to step up a gear, urged Sir Alex.
Theres a chance that we will concede over there, so we have to
score. And we will be going over there with an attitude to
score.
A draw would do for the Reds, but aiming for a draw is a dangerous
standpoint to take, especially with the quality of opponents now a
notch higher.
Away from home, against Benfica and Lille, we have picked up 1-0
results without being brilliant. But we need to really play well in
Milan and have a goal threat about us.
Defeat in Milan two years ago ended Uniteds hopes of European
glory. But with a team whose maturation has been remarkable since
2005, Sir Alex knows full well that this is a test of just how far
the Reds have come.
What we have got to do is crossing the line like we did against
Juventus in 1999, when we needed to go there and get a result, he
said. Milan have got a richer European history, but we have got a
great history also. I think it could be any score, I really
do.
In the first leg, even at 2-1, I still fancied us. I thought at
half time we had a chance.
When you see the goals we lost, they were poor goals to concede.
But we had something to cling to we were creating chances. I said
to the players: If youre conceding goals like that, what chance
are you giving yourselves?.
But I thought the quality of our football in the first half was
good. We were making chances and there was a momentum to our game.
I felt that the longer that went on the better it would get.
I wouldnt say we are favourites, but we have given ourselves a
great chance, added the boss. A goal lead is a great start in
European football. But we also have a good counter-attacking
capability in our team with our speed on the break.
