United aim to defy history at Porto

FC Porto may hold "a definite edge" but Sir Alex Ferguson believes his defending European champions can do what no other English team have done and claim victory at the Estádio do Dragão when this quarter-final tie concludes on Wednesday.

Turnaround
The Manchester United FC manager recalled his team's 3-2 win at Juventus in the 1999 UEFA Champions League semi-finals – the last time they fought their way out of a similarly tight spot – as he reflected on the advantage Porto gained from the 2-2 first-leg draw at Old Trafford. Sir Alex said: "We were disappointed in losing the last-minute goal [by Mariano] in the last game. That has given a definite edge to Porto but we are capable of turning that around. It is not as if we are going here without a big chance. We have to remember the places we have been in the past, like Juventus, when we drew at home and won away."

'Big job'
While United "have a big job to do" against opponents undefeated in eleven previous home meetings with opponents from England, Sir Alex added that he trusted his players to deliver "for their performances over the last two or three years in big games in Europe – in Rome, in Milan, in Barcelona". That said, despite their 22-game unbeaten run in the UEFA Champions League, they have won just once on their travels this term and went down 2-1 here en route to elimination by Porto in the last 16 in 2004.

Ferreira confident
Porto coach Jesualdo Ferreira, who will not be on the bench as he serves a one-game suspension, was quick to praise United – "We're going to play the best team in Europe and the world and which has the best player in the world," he said – yet he added a note of quiet assurance. "I said before the game in Manchester that we were very confident and wanted to produce a good performance. We have the same level of confidence a week later." The Portuguese titleholders attacked United with a boldness seldom shown by visitors to Old Trafford and Ferreira promised more of the same. "We don't know how to play in a different way," he said. "This team can never change its identity."

Ferdinand boost
Hardly music to the ears of Sir Alex, who admitted Porto's "front players played exceptionally well" in the first leg, but the United manager at least has Rio Ferdinand back to bolster his recently shaky back line. "Obviously the experience and the quality he has in his game makes a difference when he is in the team," he said. "The partnership of Ferdinand and [Nemanja] Vidić has been a cornerstone of our great defensive performances this season." Ryan Giggs should also feature after sitting out Saturday's 2-1 win at Sunderland AFC but Darren Fletcher has a hamstring injury. As for Porto, Argentinian forward Ernesto Farías is expected to drop to the bench despite scoring twice in the 3-0 weekend victory over CF Estrela da Amadora, with the home side likely to start with the same XI as at Old Trafford.