Prime time for United's Spanish clash

The last time Manchester United encountered Barcelona in the Champions League they suffered one of their most embarrassing nights in Europe.

This evening, however, Barcelona's visit will provide Alex Ferguson and his players with a welcome break from the storm of criticism and speculation which has followed the United board's acceptance of a £623.4 million takeover offer from Rupert Murdoch's BSkyB.

Four years ago the Catalan side thrashed Manchester United 4-0 at Nou Camp after forcing a 2-2 draw at Old Trafford. Now rumour, rather than Romario, is running amok in the United ranks with the result that yesterday, amid the usual preamble about form and fitness, Ferguson found himself fielding the odd hand grenade.

It was a wonder British football's shortest fuse survived the press conference without an explosion; perhaps Alex is mellowing in his middle years.

Twice he was asked if the events of the past 10 days had been a distraction and twice he refused to comment, asking: "Are you a parrot?" when the question was put the second time.

Undaunted, the inquisitors persisted: "Do you worry about possible interference from BSkyB?" At this point Stromboli rumbled, slightly but menacingly. "I think you're becoming a nuisance,' said Fergie evenly. "I'm showing great patience with you."

The shadow of Murdoch will fall across United for a long while yet. All the players can do is make the bright intervals brighter still.

Certainly this is a good time to be meeting Barca. The Spanish League has only just begun and in addition to any new-season stiffness Louis van Gaal, their Dutch coach, has injury problems. Miguel Nadal, his best defender, is out with a pulled muscle, and three more players - Sergi, Oscar and Giovanni - face fitness tests.

Van Gaal's options are further limited by the ineligibility of the striker Patrick Kluivert, one of six Dutchmen in his squad, and Mauricio Pellegrino, their Argentinian defender. Both were signed after the UEFA deadline for this stage of the Champions League.

One result could be that Samuel Okunowo, a highly promising Nigerian 19-year-old, plays at rightback charged with curbing the influence of Ryan Giggs.

United's only injury worry concerns the likely absence of Ronny Johnsen at centre-back with a damaged ankle. "I don't think he'll make it," Ferguson said yesterday, "but we'll give him every chance." Henning Berg is standing by to join Jaap Stam in the middle of United's defence.

Whoever plays there is unlikely to experience the torment suffered by Steve Bruce and Gary Pallister in November 1994, when Romario and Hristo Stoichkov tore Ferguson's defence to shreds, the United manager having left out Peter Schmeichel as he juggled with the team in order to comply with the UEFA restriction on foreign players then in force.

"I gambled," Ferguson recalled. "We had to win and the 10 outfield players I picked were very experienced. But we missed Schmeichel's presence and Romario killed us that night. I'm glad he's not playing tomorrow, I must say that." Another Brazilian, Rivaldo, will be there but on the evidence of the World Cup he is not quite in Romario's class.

This will be Dwight Yorke's first taste of Champions League football, although he had played in Europe for Aston Villa before his £12.6 million move to Old Trafford. Ferguson is fully confident that Yorke will take Barcelona in his stride.

"Dwight plays with a smile on his face," the United manager said, "and I don't think the occasion will faze him. Different players take big games different ways. Some will always tense up, no matter how experienced they are, but I'm sure Dwight will be very relaxed."

A win for United, whose next Champions League fixture will take them to Bavaria in a fortnight's time to face Bayern Munich, is essential if Ferguson's hitherto frustrated European Cup ambitions are to stand a chance of being fulfilled this season.

Should Giggs reproduce his fine performance of last autumn, when United beat Juventus 3-2, at least the spectre of Nou Camp will be facing exorcism. And a year ago Barcelona did lose their opening Champions League fixture, at Newcastle United, by that same score.

Manchester United (probable): Schmeichel; G Neville, Stam, Johnsen (or Berg), Irwin; Beckham, Keane, Scholes, Giggs; Yorke, Solskjaer.

Barcelona (possible): Hesp; Reiziger (or Okunowo), Abelardo, Sergi; Luis Figo, Giovanni, Cocu, Rivaldo, Zenden; Luis Enrique, Anderson.

Referee: S Braschi (Italy).