Soccer:Alex Ferguson has demanded that his Manchester United players "waken" from their slumbers against Atletico Bilbao in order to protect their European status. For so many years United have used their form at Old Trafford as the basis to launch deep inroads into the Champions League. This term has been very different.
Ferguson accepts his side never recovered from tossing away a two-goal lead against Swiss outfit FC Basel on matchday two, a further home draw with Benfica helping to condemn them to a group stage exit for the first time since 2005. But United have found it no easier in the Europa League, where they almost contrived to get knocked out despite at one stage boasting a three-goal aggregate lead to Ajax.
The Red Devils chief accepts if his side want to prolong their stay in the competition, they must do better, especially as they are now facing a team that is fifth in La Liga and have booked a Copa del Rey final encounter with Barcelona in addition to their conquests on the European front.
"It is a game in which we need to waken up," said Ferguson. "Some of our European form this season has been disappointing. I don't know whether we are making too many changes. Obviously I will be playing a strong team tomorrow and hopefully that makes a difference because it is going to be a very difficult game."
Domestically, Sunday's win at Tottenham was United's 10th on the road this term, twice the number they managed in the whole of last season, and leaves them just two points adrift of City having completed their most testing run of fixtures.
"It is going to be an exciting time for the club," said Ferguson. "We had a fantastic result on Sunday. Hopefully that gives us the impetus to have a real go at this league."
It is why Ferguson is so glad Tom Cleverley has recovered from an ankle injury that has sidelined him for a fortnight and Anderson is in line to make his first start for four months after finally shrugging off a knee injury from which it appears he tried to come back too soon.
"Anderson was a substitute on Sunday and he is back, fit and training very well," said Ferguson. "He will be involved. It is good to get a player of that quality back for the run-in."
Ferguson confirmed keeper Anders Lindegaard could be ready to resume football training in a fortnight whilst Antonio Valencia, who strained a hamstring in the first leg against Ajax three weeks ago, should be pushing for a return from the beginning of next week.
He might be needed too because evidently Athletic are a strong team.
"They press the ball very well and are not afraid to flood players forward," said Ferguson. "They are very positive and have a particularly dangerous centre-forward in Fernando Llorente. He is a great header of the ball and his goalscoring record is very good.
"They have very strong self-belief and that is something we have to be prepared for."
Nevertheless, it seems unlikely to produce the 11 goals over two legs which the only previous competitive encounter between the pair served up in 1957.
On that occasion United emerged triumphant thanks to a 3-0 second leg win at Maine Road.
Ferguson freely admits he would accept a third of that number on Thursday.
"I will accept 1-0 tomorrow rather than 2-1 or 3-2 without question," he said.
