Credit: clbuzz.com
United can make yet more history tonight.
If Sir Alex Ferguson's side can hold their own against Valencia they will finish top of Group C, but should they keep a clean sheet, they will be the first team ever to end the group stage with a clean 'goals against' column.
The United boss has promised to name a first choice eleven as United look to avoid playing the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich in the last 16, all of whom have already qualified as top of their groups.
Credit: the.realoffside.com
Instead, ties against the likes of Roma, AC Milan, Inter Milan, could face the Red Devils, who only need a point tonight to seal their table-topping status.
Despite not having conceded so far in games against Rangers, Bursaspor and tonight's opponents, Valencia, pundits will consider them to have come through one of the easier groups and United will be expected to pass the test with flying colours.
What will worry fans is United's inability to score maximum points in one of the so called 'easier' groups in this season's Champions League.
Chelsea are the only team to reproduce such form this season, but will avoid United, and any other English team, until the quarter finals at earliest.
United's problems, until recently, have come up front, with the eleven time Premier League Champions having only hit 6 goals in their five group games. That total is the worst of the teams currently winning their groups, and only Braga, Rubin Kazan and Copenhagen can progress from the groups having scored fewer.
United, and Berbatov, returned to form against Blackburn two weeks ago and tonight offers the Bulgarian striker the chance to score his first Champions League goal of the season. He is expected to partner Wayne Rooney up front, with United fans seemingly back on side after his contract scenario.
Tonight, however, isn't about the strikers, but the defence, and a clean sheet will guarantee United progress, and history, heading into the last 16.
Credit: here.
The Reds have only kept six clean sheets in 15 Premier League games this season and highlights just how much of an achievement, and a boost, tonight could be.
Not to forget that, despite the chance to end UEFA's 18 year wait for a team to not concede in the group stages, United could actually be pipped to top spot tonight by the Spaniards, who would over-take United with a win at Old Trafford, something no team has managed this season.
And then you remember that this is football. Anything can happen.
I don't expect United to get beat tonight, and better news for United fans is that Valencia have lost three of their last four league games, although they included Barcelona, Sevilla and Real Madrid.
They were, however, a resolute outfit when United travelled to Spain just over nine weeks ago and created enough chances to suggest United will have to be on their guard tonight.
That guard will be marshalled by Nemanja Vidic, who has been rock solid at the heard of the Red's defence this season and has played a vital role in United going unbeaten in the league and Champions League.
Credit: Getty Images, BBC
Of course, every unbeaten record has to end, but not tonight, for me and i'm looking forward to the celebrations when United win 2-0 and Rooney gets back amongst the goals.
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