SIR Alex Ferguson does not expect Manchester United to collapse in their Champions League semi-final with Arsenal next week the same way as they did against AC Milan two years ago.
The English and European champions are facing up to an eerily similar set of circumstances. Having claimed a single-goal advantage in the first-leg on home soil, they must tackle a tricky Premier League away game tomorrow lunchtime before then head
ing off to try and defend their lead and reach another Champions League final.
On the previous occasion, Ferguson's team coped with the first part of the task quite well, roaring back from two goals down to beat Everton in thrilling style, a win that turned out to be pivotal in that season's title race.
Yet the following week, United were soundly beaten at the San Siro, with Ferguson freely admitting his exhausted side simply ran out of steam.
The Old Trafford outfit have taken significant steps to ensure they do not suffer such a catastrophe again. And Ferguson is confident the extra squad strength he has amassed will work. "We don't expect to capitulate as we did in Milan that night," said the Scot. "At that time I was playing the same players all the time. Now I have the squad and I will use it."
It means Paul Scholes, Park Ji-sung, Rafael Da Silva and Ben Foster, all unused substitutes on Wednesday night, are likely to figure against Middlesbrough at the Riverside tomorrow, along with Nani, who was not included at all, and maybe even Danny Welbeck and rising star Federico Macheda, while long-term injury victim Wes Brown will be on the bench.
In addition, Ferguson feels his side are more prepared to tackle the task that will await them at the Emirates Stadium.
Not conceding a couple of away goals, as they did against Milan, helps of course. But he detects a growing maturity in a still youthful squad that has already proved its worth in keeping clean sheets away from home against Inter Milan and Porto.
"The maturity of the team is obvious," he said. "Our performances away from home have been excellent. I said it when we went to Inter Milan and Porto was another case in point.
"These young players have played a lot of games in Europe. When you have been in Europe as long as we have, it is bound to help."
Arsenal would have to go back to that sorry night in Milan for the last time United suffered the kind of European setback the Gunners need.
Indeed, only on one occasion since have United conceded more than once on their travels. And the fact they scored four times on the night Dynamo Kiev managed two in October 2006 does not offer much hope for optimism.
Neither does the knowledge that Celtic are the only team to score against a travelling Red Devils side in Champions League combat this term.
Clearly therefore, the results of X-rays on the rib injury Rio Ferdinand suffered in the latter stages of Wednesday night's encounter are of prime importance.
"Arsenal did not attack as much as I expected last night," admitted Ferguson. "But I don't think it was any fault of theirs, it was a credit to our defending.
"When our defenders concentrate and are really at the top of their game, they can produce performances like that.
"The last game against FC Porto is an example and obviously the good spell we had from Christmas onwards.
"We need that to get through the tie because I just have to think we can score."
As Jonny Evans was part of the United side for six matches in the record 13-game run without conceding a Premier League goal while Ferdinand nursed a bad back and he also stood in for the suspended Nemanja Vidic as United kept the first of two clean sheets against Inter, Ferguson has presumably no worries over the young Northern Ireland star if, as expected, Ferdinand is ruled out.
However, the return of Brown is well timed given the experience he can provide as cover in both central defence and at right-back.
"Wes has been training with the first team and has played two reserve games," said Ferguson.
"I actually think it is important he plays some part of the game on Saturday."
The full article contains 737 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
