It was back in 1993 in fact in the good old days when the European Cup did not overrunneth with

It was back in 1993, in fact, in the good old days when the European Cup did not overrunneth with runners-up, that the Belgian played his first game in the Champions' League. It was, he recalled with a wry smile, supposed to be the kind of baptism of fire he is expected to endure with Newcastle when Barcelona arrive at St James' Park. Also in the 19-strong party is Teddy Sheringham, who is recovering from broken ribs diagnosed a little over a week ago as needing three weeks' of rest to heal "He's in consideration," Ferguson said. "Sometimes you take risks in a situation we're in."As indeed must United tonight if they are going to finish ahead of a Juventus side who confined them to second place in their group last season. A defeat here would be calamitous to their hopes, while the days when a dirge of a draw was considered a good result away from home in Europe could be coming to a close.. Ryan Giggs' pulled hamstring, along with injuries to David May, Ronny Johnsen, Jordi Cruyff and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, had stripped his squad to what he described as "the bare bones" although one man's skeleton is another man's figure of corpulence as Ferguson has Andy Cole and Paul Scholes as able deputies.

Asked yesterday if his squad was stronger placed to win the competition this time, the United manager replied with an unequivocal "yes".About his team he is less sure. If you beat Spartak Moscow you've laid your credentials on the plate."Equally, if you lose five times in the Champions' League, including to Fenerbahce at home, your credentials to win the European Cup are suspect. United managed to do the above but reach the semi-finals last season and although the League phase of the competition is unquestionably harder - with only the group winners certain of going through - Ferguson is confident of doing better. "He is coach until the president of the club comes back from a holiday in the United States," a spokesman said ominously yesterday. "Then it will be sorted out."Troubled or not, Ferguson has been impressed with a team who supplied six players for the Slovakian national side last week. "Like a lot of Eastern bloc teams they are very stubborn," he said, "with some good technical players and others who are very strong.

The first side from Slovakia to reach the Champions' League proper, they were reformed only five years ago and became the first side from Slovakia's second city to take the national title (either Czech or Slovak) in 100 years of trying this summer. "I have left so the players do not get involved in a power struggle." Which would be music to the ears of United's manager, Alex Ferguson, if his experience against relative unknowns in Europe did not make him wary. There are worse Champions' League scenarios than to land in a foreign country and find your opponents locked in bickering disarray. Not much is known about FC Kosice, but what can be confidently said about them is the Slovakians have managed to misplace their coach in between the weekend and tonight's match against Manchester United. The official reason for Jan Kozak's resignation is ill health although local reports suggest any malady has been caused by internal politics. "Someone in the club is against me," Kozak told a Slovakian newspaper. Their Welsh international defender Rob Edwards faces a late test on a dead leg, but Sean Dyche is ruled out after knee surgery..

Francis said: "Les will see a specialist in the morning but I'm refusing to rule him out at the moment."David Howells will have a late fitness test on a back injury, as will Chris Armstrong on a groin strain.Bristol City, of the Second Division, will be hoping history repeats itself when they travel to Elland Road for their meeting with Leeds. City beat the then-mighty Leeds 1-0 in an FA Cup fifth-round replay in 1974 at Elland Road - the last time the two sides met in a cup competition.City will be boosted by the return of the striker Steve Torpey, who starts his first game since suffering concussion on the opening day of the season. Ian Pearce returns after a calf injuryGary Peters, the Preston manager, declared that this was one match his players needed little motivation for. "The game against Blackburn will lift all the lads," he said. "It's a huge game and the players are really looking forward to playing against quality opposition."Preston's record pounds 500,000 signing from Manchester United, Michael Appleton, is doubtful with a calf injury.The England striker, Les Ferdinand, is a surprise inclusion in the 21- man squad named by Gerry Francis, the Tottenham manager, for their game with Carlisle, despite suffering from a stomach muscle injury. If we play anything like we can, we should win the game but if we get complacent, they could catch us as you saw last season when we lost to Stockport."Hodgson has rested Stephane Henchoz, Jason Wilcox, Garry Flitcroft, Patrick Valery and Colin Hendry for the match, though Hendry did suffer a dead leg against Leeds on Sunday.Martin Dahlin hopes to shrug off a cold and either Flitcroft or Wilcox will play if he is ruled out but Alan Fettis is cup-tied. Tim Sherwood yesterday issued a note of caution to his Blackburn team-mates ahead of today's Coca-Cola Cup second round first leg tie against their Lancashire rivals, Preston North End, at Ewood Park: "Remember Stockport." The then-Second division side beat Rovers 1-0 in their third-round meeting at Ewood Park last October thanks to an own-goal from Sherwood, in what was Ray Harford's last game in charge. Roy Hodgson, the Rovers manager, has rejuvenated the club since he took over in the summer but the club captain Sherwood, back after an appendix operation, said: "We have got to get ourselves up for it because it's their Cup final.