United must resist threat of Borriello, says Ferguson

(REUTERS)

Sir Alex Ferguson has pinpointed Milan's striker Marco Borriello as a serious threat to his side ahead of the Champions League last-16 tie with the Italians at Old Trafford tomorrow night. The 27-year-old was injured when United won 3-2 in San Siro, setting up a strong chance of progress to the quarter-finals, but Ferguson has said he believes the well-travelled Borriello could make "a big difference".

After a disappointing first season in Milan, Borriello registered his first two-goal game in the 2-0 win over Parma in November, a feat he repeated against Genoa and his eight league goals in 18 games this season have triggered talk of a recall to Marcello Lippi's national ranks. "We have to make sure we understand the qualities of these players like [Alexandre] Pato, Ronaldinho and Borriello and look to make sure we can control that," Ferguson said. "Of course, we will want to have our own attacking instincts to make sure we can kill the game off. It won't be easy. They are a very good side, Milan, and it should be an incredibly brilliant game."

The Football Association chairman Lord Triesman has acknowledged that fan-run clubs of the kind the so-called "Red Knights" are seeking to introduce by buying out the Glazer family are an understandable reflection of concern about the way clubs are run. "I am really not saying Manchester United cannot deal with its overall financial arrangements but of course fans do a take a view about whether their club is all right," he said.