United gain new inspiration

By Jim Wirth

Coming from behind to take a point from an away game in the UEFA Champions League can rarely be seen as a bad result, but there are few clubs where expectations are quite as high as they are at Manchester United FC.

Defensive frailties
Sir Alex Ferguson's side escaped from Olympique Lyonnais with a 2-2 draw after Ruud van Nistelrooij's second-half goals successfully papered over the cracks in a United squad that had been cruelly exposed by their opponents in the first half.

Returning heroes
For some, it was a sign that United, whose Premiership campaign had started with one win, one defeat and three draws, were struggling. However, with one of their finest players having returned to the first team since the Lyon game, Fenerbahçe SK, United's opponents tonight, should be worried.

Ferdinand suspension
Much has been made of Wayne Rooney's impending debut for United at Old Trafford, but for most observers, the real coup for Sir Alex has been the return of England defender Rio Ferdinand after serving a eight-month suspension for missing a drugs test.

Tottenham victory
Ferdinand's presence was felt as United won 2-1 against Liverpool FC last Monday, and his steadiness at the heart of a previously blunder-prone United defence did much to ensure that they ended Tottenham Hotspur FC's unbeaten start to the season with a 1-0 win at White Hart Lane on Saturday.

Important absence
Winger Ryan Giggs was the first to admit that United had missed Ferdinand. "I don't think that anyone can argue that we haven't missed him," he told icons.com. "His absence wasn't the only reason why we lost the title last year but it certainly didn't help our cause.

'Huge presence'
"Rio's side will help us enormously as a side because he is a huge presence in our defence," added the Welsh international. "The statistics have proved that we leaked a lot more goals while he was out, so we're all hoping that we can buck that trend now that he's back."

Modern icon
The gap between Matchdays 1 and 2 has been a significant one for Giggs. The match against Lyon was his 599th in a United shirt, while the win against Liverpool saw him reach 600 appearances, confirming the 30-year-old's status as a modern United icon.

Giggs' example
However, while he remains a reliable presence on the flanks for United, the club's future will depend upon the ability of a number of younger players to follow in Giggs' footprints. Tellingly, Sir Alex wrote in his autobiography: "I use Ryan as the challenge to the others."

On their toes
While youth-team graduate John O'Shea is now a familiar name on the team-sheet, United need the likes of Jonathan Spector, Liam Miller, Kieran Richardson, Chris Eagles, Darren Fletcher and David Bellion to keep the team's most established players on their toes in the coming seasons.

Dinamo showcase
Many of those younger players were given a run-out in the 3-0 third qualifying round win at home against FC Dinamo Bucuresti, as Sir Alex proudly displayed his squad of the future. However, all of the usual suspects will be in the starting lineup as Fenerbahçe visit Old Trafford.

Old empire
United have been through the metaphorical mangle since the start of the season, with Arsenal FC and Chelsea FC seemingly having overtaken them in England. However, with Rooney finally fit and Ferdinand back in action, plus a legion of young players ready to impress, the time may have come for the Old Trafford empire to strike back.