Champions League - Match Preview: Manchester United vs. Valencia
United's Champions League form this season has been impressive, largely due to the fact that their defence has proven to be impregnable so far in the five group-stage matches that have been played. Like their run in the Barclays
Premier League, United are still to taste defeat in this season’s Champions League campaign, giving them a much-envied unbeaten run in both competitions.
United have faced Rangers home and away, they've faced Bursaspor home and away and they have faced Valencia, yet they have managed to come out of each and every game without conceding defeat. Mestalla and Ibrox are certainly no
easy places to go to - the crowds are hostile and vociferous and look to support their team in any way they can - yet it is commendable that United have come out of these fixtures unscathed.
United will definitely look to wrap up the top spot in their group with at least a draw. Interestingly, though, if United succeed in preventing Valencia from scoring again then United will have made a record where they will become
the first team in history to have qualified from the group stages without conceding a single goal, an unprecedented first that the Manchester faithful will surely celebrate. However, Ferguson will not lose too much sleep over lost meaningless records as he
will be focusing on topping group C and in the process avoiding the perennial heavyweights of the Champions League in the process.
United for one have been given an extended rest before this game, as their game against Blackpool was called off due to a frozen pitch. That'll mean that United will be raring to go, and it could be at the cost of Valencia. Sir
Alex Ferguson looks to revert to Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov after their partnership demolished Blackburn Rovers a week ago. Ryan Giggs could be in the frame after he made his comeback from injury in the 4-0 mauling by West Ham United in the Carling
Cup quarterfinals. And if Fergie does not opt for Ryan Giggs, he will look to deploy Ji-Sung Park on the left wing, with Nani an almost certainty to start on the right. Anderson and Darren Fletcher will most likely be used in the centre of the park as Anderson
looks to get some game time under his belt after injury hampered his season.
Valencia go into this match on the back of a 2-0 defeat by Real Madrid, and will be looking to bounce back in style. Manager Unai Emery is targeting a victory over United as he says one of his goals was to achieve the top spot
in the group stages. If Valencia manage to win, they will be definite group winners as they will equal United’s points tally but overcome them due to their superior goal difference of +11 compared to United’s +6.
A second-spot finish will definitely be seen as a travesty by Sir Alex Ferguson; with big fish like Barcelona and Real Madrid finishing top of their groups, a second-placed United may very well face one of them. Therefore, a second
place finish is something Ferguson will try to avoid at all costs.
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