Olympiakos v Manchester United
Manchester United have an almost unassailable position in their Champions League group having taken maximum points, and scored 11 goals from three games, to top Group F. A draw in Athens will be enough to put feet up, take cigar out and concentrate on the Premiership for a few months, but manager Sir Alex Ferguson insists: "A draw may be enough to get us through but I hope we can win in Greece."
United's strong position means that they will not be risking Ruud van Nistelrooy. He has still been having problems with a hamstring so he will be given more time to cure the injury. Though he misses the game in Greece, Fergie is confident about the Dutchman's participation in the forthcoming Premier League game against Aston Villa. The United manager said: "It is just a tight hamstring. We are pencilling him in for Saturday."
However, with Ferguson's track record, he may just be playing mind games with Graham Taylor. The Dutch striker is so important to United, with Forlan still firing blanks, that United will not use their star striker until he is perfectly fit.
Ruud, himself was philosophical about his extended absence from the team, although there is little doubt he would have been risked had United not been in such a great position in Group F. Van Nistelrooy admitted: "Obviously I want to play as soon as I can but I spoke to the doctor, the medical staff and the manager. They do not want me at 90 per cent but 100 per cent and I think that is a good point."
United will also be without Nicky Butt, who remained behind when the team flew out to Greece. The England midfielder is out because United still have to establish the exact problem with his ankle injury that kept him out of the 1-1 draw at Fulham on Saturday.
But with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer showing, with his goal at Fulham, that he is still the best striker in the Premiership, the absence of van Nistelrooy and Butt should be minimal. That should be especially true if Paul Scholes plays as a striker, as he did at Loftus Road against Fulham.
The biggest problem United face is not the Greek side but the Premier League's insistence that The Reds have to go on an 'air miles' odyssey by playing in Athens, flying back to face Villa at Old Trafford on Saturday, before getting back on a plane to face Maccabi Haifa in Cyprus, next week.
It would be just Fergie's cup of tea if his team cocked a snoop at the Premier League by winning all three games.
Faced with a fixture pile-up, Solskjaer says United have had to ease off in training to ensure they are not caught out by travel fatigue. United's request to have Saturday's Premiership encounter with Villa postponed has been scuppered and so any hope of staying in south-west Europe until next Tuesday's Maccabi clash have been put on hold.
Solskjaer, who had to trek to Romania with Norway last week, confesses: " hey are all long trips and it is bound to take its toll unless you do something. At this time of the season we don't tend to train as hard. You have to do all you can to make sure it doesn't cause us too much of a problem."
