Man Utd vs Barcelona: Champions League tips

At odds of 4.2 Barcelona are excellent value to pile more misery on Manchester United's stuttering quest for the double by lowering their colours at Old Trafford and knocking them out of the Champions League on Tuesday night (KO 19:45 ITV1).

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If United fail in Europe again this season Sir Alex Ferguson will only have himself to blame. Since establishing a prominent lead in the Premier League the League champions have suddenly adopted a cautious approach, designed to protect their position rather than stick to the free-flowing football that got them there in the first place.

The United manager rested his side's two leading goalscorers, Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez, against Chelsea on Saturday and kept Wayne Rooney on the pitch after he suffered a hip injury. And although Rooney scored in the 2-1 defeat, he couldn't even celebrate his goal as he was in such pain, and may miss the visit of the Spanish giants as a result.

Of course hindsight is a wonderful thing and every side is entitled to a dip in form at some stage in the campaign but United's blip has been largely self-inflicted. The new-found policy of containment - packing the midfield and hoping to nick a goal rather than looking to show their attacking might – has invited trouble and is not an approach that suits them.

The decision to go 'catenaccio' has been all the more perplexing for the fact that United have the best defence in the country. Doubtless influenced by the absence of Nemanja Vidic, they played for a goalless draw at the Nou Camp last week, but with Barça missing the influential Carlos Puyol, they missed a chance to go for the jugular. And the lack of an away goal could come back to haunt them.

On the plus side for United, Barcelona's title tilt has derailed far more spectacularly. Frank Rijkaard's expensively assembled troupe of prima donnas have not gelled well and they slumped to yet another defeat on Saturday.

However, the Spanish side, who rested eight players for that match, gave up on La Liga long ago and know that this is their only chance of silverware. What is more, they outplayed United in the first leg, creating far more chances than their opponents, and with the likes of Lionel Messi, Thierry Henry, Samuel Eto'o and Xavi, they are certainly capable of scoring at Old Trafford, as they have done in every away game in the Champions League this season.

The pressure is on United, who have not now won for four matches. They played badly against Middlesbrough, Blackburn, Barcelona and Chelsea, are beginning to play with self-doubt and do not merit the favouritism the bookies have shown.

The value lies in the visitors, who are experts at keeping possession, and they will be happy to bide their time before grabbing that vital away goal.

Verdict: 2pts Barcelona to win @ 4.2 (Canbet)

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