Marseille vs Manchester United preview - Ferdinand and Giggs miss Euro trip

Posted Wednesday, February 23, 2011 by PA

Manchester United were without several senior players including Rio Ferdinand and Ryan Giggs as they flew out to Marseille for Wednesday's Champions League match.

Ferdinand has not played since injuring a calf before United's Premier League defeat at Wolves on February 5, and his fellow central defender Jonny Evans also missed the trip, having been battling an ankle problem.

That means Chris Smalling is in line to start alongside Nemanja Vidic in the heart of the United back four against the French giants.

Veteran midfielder Giggs was another absentee from the United party, which was also missing Michael Owen, who has a groin injury.

United midfielder Anderson was a non-traveller and could be facing a lengthy absence from the side after being substituted at half-time in Saturday's FA Cup fifth-round win over Crawley.

He reportedly suffered a knee injury which will need further examination before United can be sure how long he will be absent for.

However, United manager Sir Alex Ferguson was able to include Brazilian twins Rafael and Fabio, despite the pair both coming off with injuries during the Crawley match, while youngsters Joshua King and Ryan Tunnicliffe were also selected, along with Gabriel Obertan and Bebe.

Midfielder Michael Carrick is relishing a return to European action.

"The buzz you get with the Champions League is something that no other competition brings," said the England midfielder.

"It was strange watching Tottenham and Arsenal last week and not being involved.

"We have had to wait an extra week but we are ready for it."

United will be coming across an old boy in Gabriel Heinze, who spent three seasons at Old Trafford before an acrimonious departure in 2007, when the Red Devils refused to allow the Argentina full-back to join Liverpool.

Heinze eventually left for Real Madrid instead, moving on to Marseille two years later, since when he has become a key member of their defence.

Whether the 32-year-old can contain former team-mate Wayne Rooney is another matter.

Rooney might have been in a bad mood during his second-half contribution to Saturday's narrow FA Cup win over non-league Crawley, but seven days previously he had scored what has been hailed as one of the best goals Old Trafford has ever seen.

As a top-level professional, performing an overhead kick should be nothing special to Carrick.

However, even he was staggered by the manner Rooney took his chance.

"I felt shock and surprise because it was completely out of the blue," said the 29-year-old.

"But at the same time there was pure elation. I was standing on the touchline about to come on and thought of doing a (Jose) Mourinho down the line.

"Straight away you knew you'd witnessed something special.

"It's an instinctive thing. The ball was delivered in the right way for the overhead kick and was the perfect height for him to get up there and volley it.

"But it's one thing seeing it, quite another being able to do it. The power and direction he got behind it were incredible."

Marseille coach Didier Deschamps does not feel Manchester United are sprinkled with the same stardust of old - but they are no less effective as a result.

"The winning culture is part of the DNA at a club like Manchester United," said Deschamps.

"They always have talented players and people such as Nani, Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov can make the difference at any time.

"I have heard a lot about the style of play. But the most important thing is winning games.

"I concentrate on the fact they conceded one goal in six games. Maybe there is less fantasy about them than there was in the past but the Marseille team I was part of in 1993 wasn't the nicest and we still won the European Cup."