Preview: Wolfsburg v Manchester United

Venue: Volkswagen Arena
Date: Tuesday, 8 December 2009
Kick-off: 1945 GMT

Manchester United face Wolfsburg in Germany tonight facing the worst injury crisis they have had in recent memory. One which Sir Alex believes will delight their opponents.

“Wolfsburg will be delighted that we have so many injuries because it’s a big game for them,” the boss in Germany on Monday. “My main concern is getting players back from injury. I have to look at the bigger picture and that means looking to Saturday and future league games,” he told manutd.com.

Wes Brown, Gary Neville, Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic, Rafael, Fabio, Jonny Evans and John O’shea are all missing from United’s defence, meaning the only fit defender is left back Patrice Evra, although Oliver Gill as been drafted in from the reserves to provide cover.

Michael Carrick and Darren Fletcher are expected to form the central defence in front of back up goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczac, while Edwin van der Sar remains sidelined.

Midfield options are a little brighter for United. Long term absentee Owen Hargreaves is the only midfielder missing for the reds, but you might say Carrick and Fletcher are missing too as they’re needed in defence.

Up front, Sir Alex is again limited in his team selection. Dimitar Berbatov misses out through a knee injury and Wayne Rooney has a hamstring problem. Michael Owen and Danny Welbeck are the only strikers in the diminished squad.

Matty James, Cameron Stewart and Oliver Norwood, all 18 years old, are the three English midfielders that have been called up from the reserves to help with the injury problems, along with Norwegian Magnus Eikrem, aged 19.

United will play with no pressure tonight as they have already qualified for the last 16 of the Champions League, but a point in Wolfsburg would confirm them as group winners, theoretically meaning an easier draw for the next round.

Paul Scholes told the BBC, “We want to win the game and finish top of the group.

“How much difference that makes to who we get in the next round, I am not too sure. There are lots of good teams at that stage of the tournament.”

Sir Alex agreed, “We’ve qualified for the Last 16, and looking at the groups I’m not sure whether first or second really matters.”

“So that is a major boost to us. If we are second, I don’t know if it does matter.“

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