Ferguson aware of need for United goal threat
Mitch Phillips
Manchester United cannot afford to be too cautious when they renew their acquaintance with Deportivo Coruna in Tuesday's Champions League quarter-final first leg at the Riazor stadium.
United lost both their games against Deportivo in the opening group phase of the competition earlier this season and will be understandably wary as they take on Javier Irureta's talented side.
Yet boss Alex Ferguson, whose team are in the last eight of Europe's top competition for the sixth successive year, knows from painful experience that in the knockout stage of the tournament failure to score away from home can be ruinous.
"It is important to score away from home," Ferguson said shortly after the team arrived in Galicia on Monday. "We've had that experience.
"Our away form in the European Cup has been very good, though. I think we've scored in every away game we've played in Europe this season and we do pose a goal threat."
On the two occasions recently that United have played quarter-final first legs away from home they have settled for goalless draws, only to go out -- to Monaco in 1998 and to Real Madrid in 2000 -- after poor home displays.
In fact, United have been eliminated at the quarter-final stage in three of the past four years, with their remarkable run to the title in 1999 the exception.
Ferguson recognises that his side have failed to do themselves justice since ruling Europe three years ago, but he does not believe they have a point to prove with a spectacular performance against Deportivo.
"I don't think we need an emphatic result," Ferguson said. "Qualifying for the semifinals is emphatic in itself.
GREAT CONSISTENCY
"We've shown great consistency in the last six years to reach the quarter-finals.
"We had one fantastic year in 1999 but we're capable of better and we're trying to play to our capabilities."
He added: "History remembers sides like Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, AC Milan, the Ajax team of the 1970s. They're the ones that have won it more than twice."
Ferguson believes his side have improved over the second half of the season and will look for them to show they have learned from their two defeats to Depor this term.
In the first match, the Spaniards scored twice in the last four minutes to claim a 2-1 win, while at Old Trafford United keeper Fabien Barthez made two outrageous mistakes to help Depor secure a 3-2 victory.
"At the time we were getting punished for individual errors," Ferguson said. "We're playing a bit better now.
"They had a lot of possession in the first game but after scoring first we should have won. The match at Old Trafford was fantastic, end-to-end stuff from both sides."
For the third meeting, Ferguson admits that luck may play a part.
"When two good sides meet, it can come down to many factors," he said. "One team can reach the heights on a particular night, or one individual can do it.
"Luck may come into it. There's a lot of things that can happen. At the end of the night, we just hope to be in a strong position for the return leg at Old Trafford next week."
