SOCCER/Chelsea v Manchester Utd:MANCHESTER UNITED embark on a four-day date with destiny knowing Alex Ferguson is convinced they have the strength to handle the job. After Wednesday's battling 0-0 draw in Barcelona, victory at Old Trafford on Tuesday will take United into the Champions League final for the first time since the memorable win over Bayern Munich in 1999, setting up an all-English meeting with either Liverpool or Chelsea in the process.

Before that, United have a chance to sew up a 10th Premier League title and a 17th crown overall, just one short of Liverpool's much-cherished record.

While mathematically, Chelsea could lose tomorrow and still win the league, the odds on them making up a goal difference of which currently stands at 18 in favour of Ferguson's men are so remote as to be laughable. Even a draw, with a three-point advantage and a better goal difference, would be almost enough for United as they head into the final two games. But Ferguson knows how much confidence his side would gain from sealing the championship at the home of their closest challengers. And he is backing his squad to finish the job.

"The incentives are all there for us over the next few days - and we have the players and the squad to do it," he said. "It's a massive game, one that will take care of itself in terms of focus, we just have to make sure we are properly rested and properly prepared."

By remaining in Barcelona overnight following their midweek exertions, Ferguson has done his best to minimise any tiredness United's players may be feeling. And he is confident his other major concern, his side's poor passing in Camp Nou, will prove to be no more than a temporary blip. "We have to recover our passing ability because it was an area that let us down on Wednesday," he said.

While the magnitude of the contest can hardly be overstated, Ferguson is eager to stress it would have been a big game even without the added element provided by last weekend's draw at Blackburn. "When you play any of the top four, you have to do well so in a sense it would not have mattered where we were in the table," he said. "Our record against them is not great but overall, I guess it balances itself out."

Although Ferguson rarely got the better of Jose Mourinho in their personal duels, other than that three-year period, he has a decent return at Stamford Bridge and his side also beat Chelsea at Old Trafford in Avram Grant's first game in charge last September. If that was one of the games when Ronaldo did not score, mainly due to currently injured striker Louis Saha taking a last-minute penalty after Carlos Tevez had struck the opener, it has proved to be a rarity.

Criticism of a player who has scored 38 times this season and seems certain to be crowned PFA Player of the Year yet again this weekend seems harsh in the extreme, yet the impossible-to-please brigade have been out in force over the past couple of days, pointing to Ronaldo's missed penalty at Camp Nou as evidence of the 23-year-old's perceived inability to perform in matches of major significance.

The argument overlooks the fact he has excelled for his country in campaigns that took Portugal to the final of Euro 2004 and semi-finals of the World Cup two years later, quite apart from his immense contribution to the United cause. It is not a surprise to Ferguson though. Merely an indictment of the way the cynical modern world works. "When you are as big as Ronaldo, people will always look for holes to pick at," reflected Ferguson. "That is just the way the world is."

With Nemanja Vidic a likely starter after making a rapid recovery from a stomach complaint that resulted in him being hospitalised on Tuesday, a defensive change appears inevitable.

Ryan Giggs may also be involved given Park Ji-Sung's uninspiring contribution on Wednesday, while Anderson might also come into contention. "I have nothing definite in mind but I will freshen up in one or two places," said Ferguson. "With the squad I have it is definitely something I am able to do."