Channel
24: "Live"
Aalborg v Man
Utd,
2:45
.
.
.
Having drawn their opening game against Villarreal at Old
Trafford a fortnight ago, Ferguson knows his defending champions
cannot afford another slip-up. So Aalborg can get ready to face
Cristiano Ronaldo, Paul Scholes, Wayne Rooney and Dimitar
Berbatov.
"I don't have any fears about complacency with this side," said
Ferguson. "But a couple of years ago we made a mistake with the
team against Copenhagen because we were in a comfortable position
and ended up scrapping to qualify. This time I will play my
strongest team.
"The players know how important qualifying is. "We need to get
to February because that is when the tournament really takes off.
"If we get to that stage then we have as good a chance as
anyone."
In their compact little ground, Aalborg intend to ruffle a few
United feathers. The sheer magnitude of the game has come as a
surprise to home skipper Thomas Augustinussen, who confirmed he had
never seen as many journalists as the throng that came to hear him
speak ahead of the game.
It provides the perfect stage for Berbatov to announce his
arrival as a United player. The Bulgarian has hardly had a chance
in his three games as a Red Devils since a club record
£30.75million switch from Tottenham.
Berbatov is convinced it will not be long before he breaks his
duck and Ferguson can already see signs of the 27-year-old's
quality. "He only played one game for Tottenham before he joined
us, followed by two tremendously difficult away games at Liverpool
and Chelsea," observed Ferguson.
"Once the other players understand how good Dimitar is, both in
terms of his movement and ability to run the line, we will get the
best out of him. "I saw that in periods on Saturday. He was very
influential during a period in the second half. "His passing,
balance and control were fantastic, so I was very satisfied with
that."
Ferguson will make changes from the side which beat Bolton in
such controversial circumstances, with one inevitable as skipper
Gary Neville has remained at home to rest a thigh strain. After so
long on the sidelines, Ferguson now expects his captain to only be
available for one game a week.
The position regarding Owen Hargreaves is less straightforward
as the former Bayern Munich man is still troubled by a knee injury
which first bothered him before his £18million move from Germany.
"We are trying to manage his situation in a different way," said
Ferguson. "He has had all the treatment but now and again it still
flares up.
"There is nothing we can do about it. "The specialist says it
will go away in time and we hope that is correct because he is a
very important player to have."
In dismissing any suggestion of retirement with his usual
declaration that provided he remains healthy and still enjoys the
job there is no need to even think about it, Ferguson prepares to
meet an old foe in Bruce Rioch, still recalling his fellow
countryman's marvellous achievements at Middlesbrough.
"Bruce must have been disappointed at how things worked out at
Arsenal but for me his biggest managerial success was the job he
did at Middlesbrough," said the United boss.
"At the time they were in receivership. I was up there quite a
lot trying to buy Gary Pallister and together with Colin Todd, he
resurrected a whole club with young players, which was a fabulous
achievement."
