With qualification for the second phase assured, Alex Ferguson cast his thoughts further afield ahead of tonight's visit of Sturm Graz to Old Trafford. Specifically, to the fate of his captain and talisman Roy Keane, whose contractual wrangles have been shelved until the end of the season when his current deal runs out.

Real Madrid, Lazio, Inter Milan and Juventus form the queue of interested parties and Keane is free to open talks from January 1st. But Ferguson implied yesterday that there was a deeper, emotional bond between player and manager which could overcome all.

"I think I know more about the situation than you," he said. "I don't think Roy has expressed his thoughts to anyone on this subject, but that's not the impression you get from reading the papers. Reality paints a different picture. I have told Roy to make his decision when he is ready."

Ferguson was also scathing of suggestions that the player, if he was contemplating leaving, would let his high standards drop and said: "He's above things like that, like letting his form slip."

Ferguson will bring back Gary Neville and David May tonight after long-term injuries, and is expected to include the youngster Mark Wilson in midfield while Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, recovered from an ankle injury, and Jordi Cruyff may get a run-out up front.

However, as finishing top of the group is the key to a favourable seeding in Friday's draw for the second stage, Ferguson has had to change his plans to rest several key players. David Beckham and Paul Scholes, though, are both suspended.

"Now we know about the full extent of the seeding it's become clear that we must win the group," said Ferguson, "and that means not leaving too many players out."

Arsenal flew into Stockholm yesterday without seven first-team regulars, including the rested captain Tony Adams, Martin Keown and Dennis Bergkamp, but with manager Arsene Wenger insisting tonight's Group B match with the Swedish champions AIK Solna is not a meaningless exercise.

Neither side can reach the last 16 and Arsenal have already secured third spot to qualify for a place in the UEFA Cup third-round draw on Friday.

"We will be going all out for a win," said Wenger, "because we need to finish with as many points as we can get towards being seeded in Europe in future years. Until that happens we will always struggle to reach the second round in the Champions League because it means we have to face two big clubs in the first group every time." With six teams from tonight's four groups already through to the next phase, only two places remain to be decided.

In Group A, the battle for the second qualifying spot is between Bayer Leverkusen and Dinamo Kiev. Although Kiev have a point more than their German rivals, they have a tougher task in that they play group winners Lazio at home while Leverkusen face Maribor Teatanic, who have only one win in their previous five games.

In Group C, the battle for the second qualifying place is between Borussia Dortmund and Feyenoord, with both clubs on six points. The Dutch club face surprise group winners Rosenborg at home while Dortmund travel to Portugal to play bottom of the table Boavista.