Manchester Utd (1) v Bayern Munich (2):ALEX FERGUSON is planning to go into Manchester United's Champions League quarter-final against Bayern Munich tonight without Wayne Rooney but will give the England striker as long as possible before making a decision.

A week after Rooney went over on his ankle in the Allianz Arena, damaging ligaments in the process, Ferguson began his pre-match news conference yesterday by saying there was “no chance” that the Premier League’s leading scorer would be able to take any part in the return leg.

Later, however, Ferguson confirmed the player was well ahead of schedule. Rooney was initially ruled out for up to three weeks but has not given up hope of persuading Ferguson that he can be on the bench and he will be closely examined in the morning.

“We have made some good progress with the lad and the medical team have done fantastic work,” Ferguson said. “But I am not prepared to take a risk on a player who is not 100 per cent fit. They are looking more at the Manchester City game [on April 17th], or maybe Blackburn Rovers [on Sunday] as a substitute. It is an ankle injury, the same as any other, and he is no different to anyone else.”

Ferguson, however, then appeared to backtrack on his earlier comments when he was asked whether Rooney could be named among the substitutes. From issuing an unequivocal denial, his position had noticeably softened. “I don’t think so,” he said, “although he will maybe talk me into it. It is a difficult one.”

Rooney was conspicuous by his absence when the rest of the squad trained yesterday and, though the forward was working on his fitness inside the club’s gymnasium, the Bayern coach, Louis van Gaal, dismissed suggestions that Ferguson, notoriously economical with the truth when it comes to injuries, was trying to deceive United’s opponents. “I don’t think that will happen,” Van Gaal said. “I don’t think Ferguson will do that [play Rooney] and I’d also like to say that we did win a game with Rooney [playing] – it’s not as if we can’t win when Wayne Rooney is playing. We don’t even need to win – a draw is fine. When we played Fiorentina we were faced with a different team than we thought and that does happen in the football business.”

United have a 2-1 deficit to overcome from the first leg in Bavaria and, with Chelsea winning by the same score in the league at Old Trafford on Saturday, Ferguson is demanding an improvement.

“Two bad results don’t happen often here,” he said. “We have to recover and, if we get a better performance than we had in Germany last week, we have a great chance. The tie is certainly not over. There is still work to be done but the away goal makes a difference, especially in the modern game.”

If Rooney is not involved, Ferguson is aware United must get more support to Dimitar Berbatov and retain possession far better than they managed in either the first leg or the first half of the Chelsea game, when United were comprehensively outplayed.

However, the Scot is now more bullish about booking a third semi-final appearance on the trot and a meeting with either Lyon or Bordeaux.

“I feel stronger about the game than I did on Saturday night,” he said. “The players were all disappointed on Saturday, even at half-time, but they did something about it, which tells you they have plenty in the locker. To get to the semi-final of the European Cup is an incentive. It would be a fantastic achievement.

“Most people would think we have a good chance. I think we have a very good chance. There is still work to be done but this tie is not over.”

Bayern have been encouraged by the return to fitness of Arjen Robben, the Bundesliga’s outstanding player this season. The former Chelsea winger missed the first leg and Saturday’s league victory at Schalke but when he was asked whether he expected to play at Old Trafford he replied: “Yes, I hope so. I’m ready, I’m here and I didn’t travel just to be in the stands. Of course, in the end it is for the trainer to decide but I think I can be ready for tomorrow.”

Venue: Old Trafford Kick-off: Tonight, 7.45pm On TV: RTÉ Two, UTV

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