Keane's Kiev mirror image

Roy Keane will come face to face with the Ukrainian version of himself when he lines up for Manchester United against Dynamo Kiev in the Olympic Stadium tonight.

Confronting Keane will be midfielder Andrei Husin, who is the driving force behind Kiev.

Husin's name is sure to have figured prominently in Alex Ferguson's pre-match briefings and he boasts many of the same attributes as Keane.

The 27-year-old Ukrainian international, who has been an ever-present in Kiev's last two Champions League campaigns, is a tenacious tackler, strong in the air, a natural motivator and has good vision.

Keane, though, will be undaunted by this challenge and he has seen off many of the world's best midfielders during United's European exploits.

The Republic of Ireland international never lacks motivation and he will be even more fired up by his enforced spell on the sidelines due to his three-match ban.

United were greeted by temperatures just a few degrees above freezing when they stepped on to the tarmac at Kiev airport. Despite the cold and wet weather, manager Alex Ferguson has pledged to go for goal on United's first trip to the former Soviet republic.

Ferguson is mindful that United's failure to score in the Bernabeu against Real Madrid contributed to their Champions League exit last season and he wants to get back on the goal trail against Kiev.

"I think that European football has changed in the last few years and you must try and score goals away from home," said the United boss.

Ferguson feels this could be one of the Reds' most awkward trips in recent years.

"We don't know these players like we know the Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus players," he said.

"That's a disadvantage we have, but the best way to approach this game is to go into it expecting it to be our hardest game, which it could well be."

One player happy with the weather is Jaap Stam. The wet conditions mean he will definitely return after missing the last two games with Achilles trouble.

The cold conditions which greeted United were in stark contrast to the warm reception they received from the Ukrainians at the airport.

Ferguson, David Beckham and Ryan Giggs were mobbed and manhandled by hordes of star-struck fans and needed help from a couple of police officers to escort them to their coach.

Meanwhile, Raimond van der Gouw will take over from the injured Fabien Barthez in goal.

Ronny Johnsen has shrugged off a groin niggle to provide Ferguson with the luxury of selecting his first-choice back four against the Ukrainian double winners for the last three seasons.

Up front, Andy Cole is expected to return and resume his goalscoring - but non-speaking - partnership with Teddy Sheringham.

MANCHESTER UNITED (probable): Van der Gouw; Irwin, Stam, Johnsen, G Neville; Giggs, Scholes, Keane, Beckham; Cole, Sheringham.