Source: Telegraph
Manchester United v Wolfsburg: match preview
Wednesday, Sept 30
Manchester United v Wolfsburg
Old Trafford
Kick-off: 19.45 BST
TV: ITV1 7.30pm, ITV HD 7.30pm
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has tipped Wayne Rooney to gatecrash the elite trio currently monopolising world football.
Rooney is set to make his 50th European appearance when Manchester United entertain German champions Wolfsburg in Champions League Group B.
Ferguson feels Rooney has some work to do before he can be put into the same bracket as Kaka and Cristiano Ronaldo, who were crowned world player of the year in the last two seasons, and Lionel Messi, who is set to receive the honour this autumn. But he has no doubts the England international will get there eventually.
"Wayne could easily get to that level," said Ferguson. "It was a pretty remarkable feat to get that hat-trick and his progress has never disappointed us at any point since.
"When we signed him as a kid, we thought he would become a really top player. Without question he is going in that direction.
"He is blessed with some ingredients only great footballers have. He has a great determination and hunger to win every match and every training session. That will never change.
"Sometimes there is criticism about the amounts footballers get paid. But when you see the effort he puts in, he is worth every penny. He plays as if he means it. It is a wonderful thing to have."
Wolfsburg coach Armin Veh has vowed that his team will take on Manchester United at their own game by going out to attack.
While United have three European Cup titles, Wolfsburg are playing just their second match in the competition after winning the Bundesliga for the first time in their history last season.
Veh, who took over from Felix Magath in May, said: "Playing Manchester United is a special game. They're a special club, they've played many times in the Champions League and we've played only a couple of games. It will be a very special game but we're certainly not going to hide.
"I don't lose sleep before games but we're going to have to play a tight game and be well organised. Manchester United play a fast game and we'll have to be wide awake for long balls and put in the hard work, not just in attack, but play tight patterns throughout the pitch.
"It's impossible for me to say how the lads will play, whether they'll be inspired or afraid. But we've got to be organised enough to play our own game and if we don't, we'll have major problems. We can't wait until four or five goals have gone in to start playing."
Touchline duel
Sir Alex Ferguson v Armin Veh
At 48, Wolfsburg coach Veh is a novice in comparison to Ferguson, but he emphasised his ability by guiding Stuttgart to Bundesliga title in 2007. The German champions have started slowly in defence of their title, but Veh's team will pose the sternest threat to United's hopes of topping Group B.
Key battles
Nemanja Vidic v Edin Dzeko
Bosnian forward Dzeko possesses a fearsome strike record. 26 Bundesliga goals last season and 14 in 18 appearances for his country. The 6ft 5ins forward will test the aerial prowess of Vidic to the hilt and the Serbian defender faces one of his most difficult evenings in a United shirt.
Talking tactics
Wolfsburg's attacking philosophy is similar to that adopted by Kevin Keegan's Newcastle in the mid-1990's. With Dzeko and Grafite formidable up-front, the Germans possess a real cutting edge, but United are not short of firepower themselves, so it is likely to be an occasion when both defences are tested to the full.
What they are saying
Sir Alex Ferguson: "We all think the same. If you can get to that 10 points quickly you can change your team and give younger players an opportunity. But you have to be careful. You don't want to be too cocky.
“The two Wolfsburg strikers scored an incredible tally of goals last season. 71 in a season is incredible for two strikers.
“In terms of Dzeko, he was a player we saw and I was very impressed by him. Wolfsburg are a team that scores a lot of goals, but they also lose a few. "
Obafemi Martins: "United are playing much better than before. When Ronaldo was on the pitch, everyone looked to him, expecting him to change the game when his team most needed it. But now United have a lot of players who can change a game, like Wayne Rooney, Michael Owen, Dimitar Berbatov. Even the defenders can score goals, so we must watch out for them all over the pitch."
Probable teams
Manchester United (4-4-2): Foster; O'Shea, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra; Valencia, Fletcher, Carrick, Giggs; Rooney, Berbatov.
VfL Wolfsburg (4-4-2): Benaglio; Riether, Barzagli, Madlung, Schafer; Josue, Hasebe, Gentner, Misimovic; Grafite, Dzeko. Referee: V. Kassai (Hungary)
