Roy Keane’s unquenchable thirst for success will rule out any complacency when the Old Trafford side meet Hungary’s Zalaegerszegi in their Champions League qualifying clash.
The 30-year-old has been his usual forceful self on the pre-season trip to Scandinavia and Holland, showing no sign of anxiety over his summer World Cup row with Mick McCarthy.
But, having missed out on the Champions League final three years ago, Keane has now also failed to make his mark on the planet's most prestigious international tournament.
It makes it a racing certainty that on the eve of a new campaign, the burning desire driving Keane onto greatness remains undimmed.
On Saturday, he is expected to lead United into their final warm-up encounter with top Argentinian outfit Boca Juniors, before heading out to Budapest where the first leg tussle against Zala looks certain to be switched.
Defeat for the Red Devils is an unthinkable prospect against a side who needed a last-gasp Florian Urban penalty to send them through on away goals against NK Zagreb last night.
Having splashed out £30 million on Rio Ferdinand in the summer, for players and financiers alike, Keane accepts Manchester United must be in the Champions League.
"You can say that again," said Keane, speaking on MUTV before learning United's third qualifying round opponents, "we need to produce the goods."
Keane has grown increasingly more outspoken over the last couple of seasons, although nothing can compare with the outburst which saw him sent home from the World Cup training camp before a ball had been kicked in anger.
Last season, he wondered out loud whether some of his illustrious club colleagues had lost their desire and warned that none of them, himself included, was safe should Alex Ferguson's patience finally snap.
Fergie though only has words of admiration to salute his skipper, whom he dubs 'the best player I have ever had'.
It is not so much his footballing skills as his formidably tough mental approach which wins the admiration of the fiercely competitive Scot and, shrugging off the compliments, Keane has already set his sights on erasing the memory of a campaign which gleaned nothing but frustration.
"Last season still hurts," he admitted.
"Arsenal and Liverpool passed us by last year. They had that bit of hunger we lacked, which is why we didn't win anything.
"We had one or two problems in central defence and had eight or nine different partnerships over the course of the season, which is too much really.
"That is why the manager has brought in Rio Ferdinand, although it is easy to be critical of one area. We attack and defend as a team, so you have to look at the whole unit rather than just one part.
"The trip just gone has been a good opportunity for Rio to get to know the lads and some of the younger guys have been given a chance as well, which the manager always likes to do."