Absence of Ballack could leave stage clear for Keane

Football may be a team game but most teams have a first among equals. For Manchester United that player is Roy Keane, for Bayer Leverkusen it is Michael Ballack. Tonight, in the BayArena, United hope a reversal in their respective fortunes results in Sir Alex Ferguson's team advancing to the European Cup final.

Last week Ballack, watched from the bench by Keane for all but eight minutes, inspired Leverkusen to a 2-2 draw at Old Trafford. Tonight it is Ballack who is likely to be on the sidelines while Keane seeks to produce his own command performance.

Ferguson is confident he will meet the challenge. Yesterday, speaking in the team hotel on the banks of the Rhine, he paid the Irishman a supreme tribute. "He is the most influential player we have had." Ferguson paused, searching his memory, before concluding: "Well, ever, probably."

He added of other candidates for that accolade: "Bryan Robson had similar qualities. Both had a driving force within themselves and they made others play. Eric Cantona was more of a talisman and a catalyst."

Nicky Butt, who is likely to partner Keane in midfield, said: "You can't really describe how important Roy is. He is the team's leader. Everyone is glad to have him back."

The shift in this tie's balance of power occurred on Saturday. In early evening Keane proved his hamstring was on the mend with a controlled performance against Ipswich which took him top of The Independent's Premiership Index. Two hours earlier Ballack suffered an ankle injury at Nuremberg. With Leverkusen vainly attempting to retain their Bundesliga lead he played the full 90 minutes but paid for it yesterday as bruising swelled the joint.

"We will not know until tomorrow whether he can play but on Sunday he was in a lot of pain," said Klaus Toppmöller, the Leverkusen coach. With Bayer desperately trying to resurrect their Bundesliga ambitions, and also in the final of the German Cup, Toppmöller will be reluctant to risk Ballack but, with Borussia Dortmund now favourites for the domestic title [they lead by a point with one game left], he may reappraise his priorities.

"This is one of the biggest challenges of my 30-year career in football," added Toppmöller, whose team were five points clear with three games left. "I have told my team if you cannot get back up after adversity you fail in life. We want to prove we have great character."

Having thrown away the Bundesliga from an equally strong position two years ago, Germans are doubting that character, but Ferguson cautioned: "It is difficult to know how they will react."

The same applies to up to a dozen players who would be suspended from the final if booked. Keane and Paul Scholes, having suffered such a fate in 1999, will be especially aware but Butt, another facing a ban, expects them to play their normal game. He said: "If you worried about yellow cards you wouldn't be performing and competing to the best of your ability. You have to get on with it and, if it happens, it happens."

Ferguson hopes the referee, David Beckham's old nemesis, Kim Milton Nielsen, will be understanding. "You have to hope the referee takes the importance of the game into account," he said.

Laurent Blanc and Ronny Johnsen are both fit again, with the former likely to partner Wes Brown. An alternative is to switch him to right-back but Denis Irwin is the probable replacement for Gary Neville. While his experience may enable him to contain Ze Roberto, his advancing years mean United could lack penetration on the right as Juan Sebastian Veron, who returns after further treatment on his Achilles, is expected to play on the flank. This lack of width may persuade Ferguson to return Ryan Giggs to the left wing but it is more likely that he will continue to play off Ruud van Nistelrooy, with Paul Scholes filling in on the left.

Both managers expect United to score. Toppmöller said that was why he will ask team his team to attack, a pledge Ferguson expects to be honoured. Bayer put four past Liverpool here earlier this month and Ferguson, who cancelled plans to call Gérard Houllier for advice in the wake of Liverpool's defeat at Tottenham, added: "Attacking is in their nature."

It is also in United's, which suggests the match could be a thriller. "It should be, but it doesn't always work out like that," said Ferguson. "A 1-0 win would do me."

David Beckham, who said at the weekend he could be fit if United reach the 15 May final, will have a scan on his foot injury later this week. "I would love to think he could be fit," said Ferguson. "But we have to get there first." Expect Keane, unless his body rebels, or Ballack's recovers, to ensure they do.

Bayer Leverkusen (probable, 4-1-4-1): H-J Butt; *Zivkovic, *Lucic, *Nowotny, *Placente; Ramelow; *Sebescen or *Ballack, Schneider, Bastürk, *Ze Roberto; *Neuville.

Manchester United (probable, 4-4-1-1): Barthez; Irwin, Brown, *Blanc, Silvestre; Veron, *N Butt, *Keane, Scholes; Giggs; *Van Nistelrooy.

Referee: K M Nielsen (Denmark).

*Will be suspended for final if booked