Champions League Group C Preview: Manchester United v Valencia

Manchester United must win their final Group C clash if they are to finish top of the group and have a better draw in the last sixteen round of the Champions League.

If Sir Alex Ferguson’s side manage to keep a clean sheet during this game then they will become the first side in Champions League history to make it out of the first group stage without conceding a single goal.

The reverse of this fixture in Spain produced a very tight and tense match, which was decided by a late Javier Hernandez strike. Home advantage means United are more likely to play a 4-4-2 formation, which could see the Mexican start in attack.

Ferguson will want his team to go out and win in style. The problem will be when Valencia choose to counter attack because they are bound to come to Old Trafford with a game plan of flooding the midfield and then picking off the United defence.

However, the importance of finishing in top spot is now greater than it has ever been because it guarantees a supposedly easier route into the last eight of the competition. This could cause Ferguson to go for a 4-5-1, which United are familiar with using in European competition.

This will mean either Wayne Rooney or Dimitar Berbatov missing out when the pair have been in great form as a strike partnership. The advantage of playing just one striker in attack is that it will stop Valencia from playing aggressive and expansive football.

On the injury front the club has no fresh worries and the only long-term absentees from the side are Michael Owen, Owen Hargreaves and Antonio Valencia. Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic should start in the middle of the defence and the experience of Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs should be pumped into the midfield.

Ferguson is likely to drop a number of players that he used during the Carling Cup defeat at West Ham United. Chris Smalling, Jonny Evans, Anderson and Bebe are unlikely to feature in this match after under performing in the club’s last outing.

The club did not play at the weekend owing to the match with Blackpool being postponed due to poor weather. This means there will be a high number of players in the United squad chomping at the bit to play. United look very good value for the win at best odds of four to three on.