Ferguson out to avoid abyss

Alex Ferguson is prone to citing a homily about the importance of rock climbers thinking of their next foothold rather than the one 20 feet above or below them. By and large he stuck to his beliefs yesterday when, three days after Manchester United had scaled the seventh Premiership peak under his leadership, he virtually ignored Saturday's achievement and focused on the next step: climbing over Bayern Munich.

True to form, he did not allow himself a look at the pinnacles beyond that, though somewhat uncharacteristically Ferguson briefly glimpsed at the future terrain should Bayern not be overcome. His assessment was a downbeat one: "Flat", he said.

Saturday's title, United's 14th major trophy in Ferguson's 14 years at Old Trafford, is already a glorious irrelevance to United - barring the fact it guarantees them entry into the Champions League next season - and Ferguson did not bother trying to dress it up even as a consolation prize should United exit the European Cup this evening. There will be no consoling if that happens, just self-disgust.

For United's season is all about tonight. Ferguson had said before the first leg that United's season started there and then, only to witness ignition failure as Ryan Giggs and David Beckham combusted and Stefan Effenberg eased Bayern into gear and Paulo Sergio's late goal pushed them into the lead. So tonight represents a second chance for United to kick-start a European season.

Listening to Ferguson yesterday, it was the thought of United not doing themselves justice on the continent that is motivating him and his squad. Failure is the key.

Responding to a German question about Roy Keane's remarks about rolling heads should United suffer elimination, Ferguson at first appeared to be evading the issue but then smiled and replied: "Well, we've all got opinions on that. We may, we may not. We shall have to see."

Soon after Ferguson's smile had faded. When asked about a season with only the domestic league title to show for it, Ferguson answered: "It would be very flat, a flat year for us. It would be disappointing, particularly as the league campaign has not been as exciting as normal.

"Both are important, and we always want to win our league because it so competitive in terms of rivalry with Arsenal, Liverpool and Leeds. But then you have to progress as a club and Europe is the place, it's the focus of people's estimation of you as a football power. We want to be considered that way which is why losing tomorrow would be a big, big disappointment to us."

That aside, Ferguson's mood was buoyant. Fortunately for United, just Paulo Sergio's strike separates the teams and although Bayern have conceded only one goal at home in Europe this season, Ferguson is confident that United are capable of finding the one goal that would at least take the match to extra-time and penalties. Any other outcome means no extra-time.

"I do think we can score," he said. While not hoping for an early breakthrough necessarily, he added that a United goal would "change the pattern of the game" and "make things interesting". That pattern, Ferguson believes, will be one of immediate Munich attack in order to kill off the tie.

Ferguson returned to the theme of patience then, as he did before the first leg. "It doesn't matter when you score. At the top level you need patience, sometimes you have to wait. Bayern proved that in the last game, their best football was in the last 15 minutes. So if we have to wait 88 or 89 minutes again that's fine by me. I'm used to it." It was the only reference to Barcelona, 1999.

United have received encouragement about their scoring possibilities from Bayern's league form since a fortnight ago. A 1-1 draw with Borussia Dortmund would be acceptable were it not for the red cards for Effenberg and Bixente Lizarazu, and at the Olympic Stadium on Saturday Bayern went ahead in the third minute through Carsten Jancker but then lost 31 to Schalke.

The Denmark international Ebbe Sand got a hat-trick for Schalke and said afterwards: "If I can score three goals here, so can any of the Manchester United strikers. They are all great players and don't need advice from me."

The result left Bayern second, behind Schalke, though Ferguson will have noted that Effenberg, Giovane Elber and Thomas Linke were missing. So was Lizarazu who, along with Hasan Saliihamidzic, is suspended tonight. David Beckham's absence is more than offset.

If United's last two formations are any guide, then Paul Scholes will offer a narrower version of Beckham on the right with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer making way from the first leg and Dwight Yorke partnering Andy Cole through the middle.

Much, as usual, will depend on Keane. Ferguson compared the situation to Turin two years ago when United had to come back from two goals down against Juventus to record a first historic win on Italian soil. Keane became Ferguson's forever hero that night. On the other side of the Alps now, Ferguson needs another mountainous performance from his captain tonight.