Da Luz D-Day for Rooney's United

Knife edge 
Another European campaign will be on the line when Rooney returns to Lisbon for Manchester United FC's final Group D fixture against SL Benfica following the English club's failure to break down Villarreal CF at Old Trafford. United's fourth blank in five UEFA Champions League fixtures this term leaves their hopes on a knife edge. A fixture in the tournament's knockout rounds since 1996/97, Sir Alex Ferguson's men must beat Benfica to be sure of escaping early elimination.

Bright spot 
United famously won 5-1 against Benfica in Lisbon in the quarter-finals of the 1965/66 competition, on a night which confirmed the late George Best as 'El Beatle'. And if they are to achieve another famous victory there, it seems that Rooney - a player with the potential to match Best's legend - will be the man to save them. The 20-year-old was the one bright spot of another damp squib of United's last European night at Old Trafford.

Keane tributes
The crowd may have sung for the departed Roy Keane at the start and finish but it was "Rooney" they chanted to try and lift their team during the 90 minutes against Villarreal. With his capacity to create something out of nothing, Rooney was involved virtually every time United threatened but, in the words of the Daily Telegraph, "he was a class act in need of a better supporting cast".

Worrying statistics
Although Sir Alex claimed afterwards that United had "just needed a little break but didn't get it" his argument that the second half brought "some of that typical Manchester United abandonment" in their attacking play is countered by some worrying statistics. Ignoring qualifying matches, United have now not scored in seven of their last eight European outings. Their last two home matches have finished goalless - which is as many stalemates as Old Trafford had witnessed in 34 ties over the previous six seasons since United won the UEFA Champions League.

Transitional period
United have sailed through the group stage in campaigns gone by, scoring for fun. Last season they struck 12 times in six matches, the season before 13. Right now the goals for column reads two. Sir Alex insisted before the Villarreal game that the generation of young players who won him the European crown "cannot last for ever", but while finding a successor to Keane seems a mission impossible, replacing midfielders with the attacking abilities of Ryan Giggs, David Beckham and Paul Scholes at their prime is not easy either.

Midfield goals
That trio contributed 13 goals to United's 1999 triumph. Compare that to the figures for the midfield four on show against Villarreal. Scholes, now 31, has struck one UEFA Champions League goal in the last three seasons while Darren Fletcher, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Alan Smith have yet to score in the competition for United.

Rooney's return
Which brings us back to Rooney. Ruud van Nistelrooij's scoring feats in the UEFA Champions League are well documented but his young partner has not found the net since his remarkable debut hat-trick against Fenerbahçe SK last year. There could be no better time to add to his tally than in Lisbon on Tuesday. Otherwise the Estádio da Luz will be the graveyard to another dream.