Manchester United Vs Marseille Preview Man United

Manchester United welcome Marseille to Old Trafford on Tuesday as favourites to progress to the Champions League quarter-finals.

Ferguson believes his side are primed for an end-of-season push – starting by securing a last-eight place in the Champions League.

United are fighting on three fronts and the Old Trafford manager issued a rallying cry to his trophy-chasing side.

He said: "It's an important time with us being involved in three tournaments. The key is to have everyone available - it would be nice to get that.

"It doesn't matter how many players you have had injured in the past, the important thing is to have them all available for the run-in.

"If we have that then it will increase our chances. But we are experienced enough to do what we're doing at the moment - taking each game as it comes.

"The focus is on Marseille at the moment. They're a good team. My team needs to step up now. And with these European games at Old Trafford on a midweek night there's a terrific atmosphere and that does help us.

"Hopefully it's that way and we get the result we want."

Ferguson has backed Dimitar Berbatov to end his goalscoring drought in Europe following the striker's two-and-a-half year barren run - stretching to 18 games.

He added: "He's capable of scoring all the time and he's got that ability. He's done very well for us this season and hopefully that continues."

Strategy: Manchester United have completed half the job and will want to finish it off on home soil. They will feel confident of that, but they will have to keep the back door closed because an an away goal for Marseille would change everything. Don't expect a gung-ho approach from the start.

Injury Update: Rio Ferdinand remains out (calf) and he joins Anderson and Ji-Sung Park on the sidelines. Fletcher hopes to overcome an illness to figure.

MARSEILLE:
Having already proved they will be no pushovers, Marseille are further boosted with the return of a host of key players for this tie.

The French side were limited with a string of injuries, but they have cleared up with striker Andre-Pierre Gignac among those returning.

They will believe they can pull off an upset and the 1993 winners have the tools to cause the hosts all sorts of problems.

With Didier Deschamps in charge of the French champions, Marseille won't be short of European experience in the dugout.

He said: "We played a first leg that left the door open. United will be super favourites but even if we only have one small chance, we have to play to the end."