United seek strength in reserve for Swiss test

The first chimes of winter, mist and freezing drizzle were in the air as Manchester United arrived in Switzerland to begin the second phase of the Champions' League in the kind of weather Sir Alex Ferguson relishes.

Traditionally, this is the time of year his United sides take flight. Ever since he first entered the competition, Ferguson's strategy has been roughly the same. Keep in touch with the championship leaders while focusing on Europe and then burn off the domestic opposition in the new year. Now, six points behind Arsenal with the core of his side to return from injury, the grand plan may not be so very far off target.

"We are coming to that part of the season where we need to perform," said the United manager, buoyed by Saturday's 5-3 demolition of Newcastle, achieved without David Beckham, Roy Keane, Rio Ferdinand and Gary Neville, who together form United's collective heartbeat. "I don't think the form has been that bad, although the match against Aston Villa at home was disappointing and our performance at Manchester City doesn't merit any discussion at all. It was a shock.

"Where we showed our true selves on Saturday was in the number of chances we created and took. Our movement was very good and there was a lot of pace up front. Ole Gunnar Solksjaer, though, was the real surprise performance, playing on the right flank.

"We are not going to do it [catch Arsenal] if we are changing the team all the time. Given the injuries, what we have achieved so far is very good – to be within six points of the lead with your best players coming back. Paul Scholes is starting to score goals again. Last season he scored seven, I think, and for him that is a bad season. Normally he's double figures and he'll get double figures again this season."

The chief theory on Scholes' ineffectiveness, and one endorsed by Ferguson's assistant, Jim Ryan, was that he was uncomfortable playing as a makeshift striker behind Ruud van Nistelrooy. On Saturday, challenging an admittedly threadbare Newcastle defence in his preferred central midfield role, he was murderously effective.

Facing Basle, who in 14 matches at their tight St Jakob Park stadium have scored 44 times, Manchester United's own defence is a cause for concern, especially given the manner in which Hakan Yakin, lurking behind the Argentinian strike pairing of Christian Gimenez and Julio Rossi, ripped apart Liverpool earlier this month. Ferguson attempted to phone Gérard Houllier without success on Sunday, although the Liverpool manager's advice would not have been difficult to guess. Being three goals down at the break is not exactly an ideal platform from which to progress.

The loss of Laurent Blanc, who limped off against Newcastle, is an ill-timed blow as it forced Ferguson to pair Wes Brown and John O'Shea together in central defence, a combination he has not previously employed. Both are young, full of pace, talented and, in European terms, very raw. "Without Blanc, it is a big task for us and when he went off on Saturday, you saw that lack of experience come to the fore," said Ferguson. "Alan Shearer is a tough call against anybody but Blanc handled him magnificently.

"My experience in Europe is that you do worry about a sudden change of pace in a game when you are caught flat but, without Gary Neville, Blanc and Rio, it's going to be a great learning process for them." United expect Blanc to be fit for Sunday's journey to Anfield, an arena which will probably have a greater impact on their season than St Jakob Park.

That stadium will be sold out this evening, and for a Swiss ground it is likely to be uncharacteristically intimidating. To have beaten Celtic, drawn with Valencia and eliminated Liverpool here is enough to re-establish Christian Gross' reputation in England, although the Basle coach has given every indication he cares not a jot what the London media make of him, and more than enough for his club.

By becoming the first Swiss club to qualify for the second phase, their ambitions have been achieved. It will be another six months before we will be able to say the same of Manchester United.

Basle (probable, 4-3-1-2): Zuberbühler; Haas, Zwyssig, M Yakin, Atouba; Ergic, Cantaluppi, Chipperfield; H Yakin; Gimenez, Rossi.

Manchester United (probable, 4-4-2): Barthez; P Neville, O'Shea, Brown, Silvestre; Scholes, Veron, Fortune, Giggs; Solskjaer, Van Nistelrooy.

Referee: V Ivanov (Russia).