Champions League:Alex Ferguson has confirmed he expects Rio Ferdinand to start Manchester United's Champions League quarter-final against Porto tomorrow night.
Ferdinand has missed United's last three games after picking up a groin injury at the end of England's World Cup qualifying win over the Ukraine at Wembley at the start of the month.
But the 30-year-old has been in full training since Friday and travelled with the United squad on their flight to Portugal today.
And Ferguson believes the former West Ham defender should be fit to take his place in a United team who are looking to reach the last four for the third consecutive season by becoming the first English team to beat Porto on their own ground after last week's 2-2 draw at Old Trafford.
"We think Rio is fit," said Ferguson. "He trained on Friday, Saturday and Sunday and he will start tomorrow."
United have not kept a clean sheet in five games but the return of Ferdinand alongside Nemanja Vidic should bring some much-needed stability to their back four.
"There is a lot of quality in Rio's game, so he is obviously going to make a difference," said Ferguson.
"Also it gets us back the partnership between Rio and Nemanja Vidic, which has been the cornerstone of our great defensive performances this season.
"That is the difference he will make."
Brazilian full-back Rafael da Silva also made the journey, along with fellow countryman Anderson, giving Ferguson all the options he wanted as United try to become the first English team to beat Porto on their own ground.
Michael Carrick is confident his side will score tomorrow night to give themselves a chance of reaching the semi-finals.
Given the Red Devils’ recent defensive frailties - they have not kept a clean sheet in five games - Ferguson’s men might have to hit the net more than once.
But Carrick feels his team-mates are capable of achieving that.
“We always believe we can score,” said the England midfielder. “Sometimes it doesn’t quite happen. But we always give it our best and more often than not we do.
“If we play well we can exploit the best of teams. We have the players to do it and we are set up as a team to do it. As long as we play to our potential I am sure we will cause them problems.”
The visitors could throw caution to the wind from an early stage, effectively being prepared to concede in order to score the two goals that could turn extra time into a possibility.
Alternatively, they may adopt a more cautious approach and try to grind out the win that would take them through knowing an anxious time awaits if they hold a single-goal advantage heading into the final minutes.
“We will approach it like we approach any game, which is to win,” said Carrick.
“It won’t be a case of going crazy and trying to score in the first 10 minutes feeling that if we don’t it will be a disaster. One goal will be enough. Hopefully we can keep a clean sheet and nick it.”
Manchester United team (from):Van der Sar, Foster, Kuszczak; Neville, Evra, Ferdinand, Vidic, Rafael, Fabio, O'Shea, J. Evans; Ronaldo, Anderson, Scholes, Gibson, Carrick, Park, Nani, Giggs; Rooney, Tevez, Berbatov, Macheda.
