FC Porto vs. Manchester United - Match Preview

After a run of disappointing performances in the Premiership, United will look to get their season back on track with the Red Devils' first ever second phase match in the European Cup's new format. United face a tough away trip to take on a Porto side who are running away with the league title in Portugal, and are still unbeaten in league action all season.

Sir Alex Ferguson is facing a selection headache in the defensive department for a game that is probably United's biggest of the campaign so far. Rio Ferdinand is suspended and Mikael Silvestre has an ankle injury, which means the United boss could be forced to play off-form Wes Brown alongside John O'Shea at the heart of the United defence, despite the England international suffering from a distinct lack of match fitness.

£12 million Frenchman Louis Saha is more than likely to make his Champions League debut for United and partner Ruud van Nistelrooy up-front. Cristiano Ronaldo looks set to feed the duo from the wing along with Ryan Giggs.

Costina is out for the match due to suspension and talking about suspension- Paul Scholes is just one yellow card away from picking up a one match ban. 

United boss Sir Alex Ferguson sees FC Porto as decent opposition, saying: "We have got the hardest draw"

"They win their league every year . I can't remember anyone else apart from Sporting Lisbon taking their title."

One To Watch- Paulo Ferreira

Ferreira, 25, was incredibly impressive during Porto's UEFA Cup campaign, which they eventually won and is rumored to be attracting interest from all around the globe. The right-back was quite recently named in the UEFA Team Of The Year and will be looking to orchestrate the defence well to stop van Nistelrooy and Saha.