Manchester United can book their place in the knockout phase of the Champions League before bonfire night if they get the better of CSKA Moscow.

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• Ferguson wary of CSKA threat
• Fletcher recognition pleases Fergie

With Wayne Rooney almost certain to sit out the game after his wife Coleen gave birth to a son on Monday, Michael Owen is likely to get a rare start for United.

Owen's United career is yet to race through the gears but he will look to throw down a marker against the Russians at Old Trafford.

With a Premier League meeting with Chelsea on the horizon, Sir Alex Ferguson may well shuffle his pack. Dimitar Berbatov is doubtful after taking a blow on the knee against Blackburn, while Nemanja Vidic, Rio Ferdinandand Ryan Giggs have already been ruled out.

Gary Neville is back from suspension and Darren Fletcher is expected to start after overcoming an ankle injury.

CSKA still hold a genuine chance of qualification as they sit just a point behind second-placed Wolfsbrg but Leonid Slutski's side have travelled without Sekou Oliseh who damaged a hip at the weekend.

England star Ferdinand's star has lost a little of its lustre this term, having thrown in a number of poor displays.

Former England manager Graham Taylor put the boot into Ferdinand last week when suggesting his legs had gone and that he would not reach the peak levels of previous seasons.

Ferguson is never slow in defending his players and ahead of Tuesday's Champions League clash with CSKA Moscow, he came out in support of a defender he claims will return to peak form once he shrugs off his injury problems.

"There's no discernible depreciation in Rio's qualities, none for me at all," said Ferguson in the Guardian. "In my time here we've always had the situation where one of the star players hits a little blip.

"Rio is going to get criticism but that's part and parcel of being a Manchester United player and we are all aware of that. With Rio it's quite simple. No one likes to be criticised. They all like to be loved and have arms round their shoulders at times but he will come out of it, there is no doubt at all about that.

"Playing with injuries is not the easiest thing to do. But of course we will try to get that right for Rio. Calf injuries can be troublesome and, if you don't arrest them and give them their proper treatment, you can end up the way we are just now with players playing games when they are not 100 per cent fit."

Ferdinand's defensive partner Vidic is also struggling with injury and Ferguson claims United are fortunate in that they have strength in depth.

"We are very fortunate to have two players like Brown and Evans," he said. "They are top defenders.

"The big plus with Wes is that he has stayed fit. He had a good pre-season with no injuries. Last year he had a terrible run of injuries. But when we bring him in there is no better defender in the country. Wes is a real, true defender and I have no worries about Sunday in terms of Brown and Evans absolutely no worries at all."