Source: Telegraph
CSKA Moscow v Manchester United: Wayne Rooney plays on Sir Alex Ferguson's mind
But with medical bulletins from back home suggesting that Wayne Rooney faces an "uphill battle" to be fit for Sunday's Premier League trip to Anfield, the United manager's attempts to place equal importance on Wednesday's fixture against CSKA with the task in front of his players on Merseyside proved as artificial as the Luzhniki Stadium's 'FieldTurf'.
Having banked six points from their opening Champions League Group B fixtures, against Besiktas and Wolfsburg, United are already within sight of the 10-point mark set by Ferguson as the qualification milestone.
Sunday offers Ferguson the opportunity to back old foe Rafael Benítez even further into a corner at Anfield. Taking three points from Juande Ramos just does not compare.
Ferguson will select his team on Wednesday with Liverpool in mind, but he admits that Rooney's attempt to overcome a calf injury in time to line up at Anfield is in the balance. Michael Owen has the chance to push his case for a starting spot against his old club if he plays in Moscow.
The United manager said: "There will obviously be changes on Sunday and I'm hoping that Rooney, Ryan Giggs and Darren Fletcher will be fit.
"It's difficult to say with Giggs, but we are fighting to get Rooney ready. It may be an uphill fight, but we are trying. Fletcher is a slight doubt, but we are hoping we get the main players fit because it's a big game.
"Patrice Evra will be fit, though. He's had a problem with heel that we could have risked here, but we are well covered and he is the one that I can say will be fit on Sunday.
"I don't agree that we can afford not to win against CSKA, though. I want to win because it's a fantastic incentive to secure top spot in the group."
United, who have never beaten Russian opposition, lifted the European Cup on their last visit to Moscow when the dramatic penalty shoot-out victory over Chelsea at the Luzhniki secured Ferguson's second Champions League title.
In terms of Ferguson's achievements, it was an undoubted high point, yet the 67 year-old insisted he had scant feelings of nostalgia on his return to the stadium.
He said: "It's obviously a fantastic memory, but it's in the past and I tend to put things in the past really.
"In a few years' time, when I have time to think about it, I might think differently. It was a wonderful night and you don't forget those nights, but it's about Wednesday and you have to move on."
Ferguson has already discounted the Luzhniki's synthetic surface as an issue for concern on Wednesday night.
Rooney, whose calf problems stem back to England's 1-0 defeat in Ukraine 10 days ago, has told his team-mates that the surface will "take a stud" having played on the FieldTurf during England's 2-1 defeat against Russia two years ago, but CSKA defender Sergei Ignashevich has warned United to beware the pitfalls posed by the pitch.
He said: "Aside from out home support, we have another advantage as we are playing on the artificial turf.
"Several United players played on this pitch against Russia for England and they know how different it is. We are used to it and for us, the switch from natural to artificial turf is not that hard.
"With low autumn temperatures, the ball will be slick and the bounce off the surface will be quicker than normal."
CSKA have won their last six European fixtures on home territory and Ignashevich expects the Russians to take advantage of weaknesses in United's armour.
He said: "United are a very experienced side, but they have weak points in that they are less confident and aggressive away from home.
"We are in a fighting mood because maximum points at home would pretty much guarantee progress from the group, so we put in maximum effort in every home game."
