Champions League: Manchester United v CFR Cluj- Napoca match preview

A look ahead to tonight's Champions League fixture at Old Trafford

Sean Gallagher
Wednesday 05 December 2012 16:33 GMT
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Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney
Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney (GETTY IMAGES)

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Manchester United go into this match already qualified as winners of Group H. Alex Ferguson is expected to name a much-changed side for this game, but has insisted he will name a side which he will expect to win, with Wayne Rooney a confirmed starter.

CFR Cluj go into this game with an outside chance of qualifying from Group H - they will have to better Galatarasay's result in Braga to go through as runner-ups in the group or otherwise settle for a Europa League place.

KICK-OFF: Wednesday, 7.45pm

PAST MEETINGS…

CFR Cluj 1 (Kapetanos) Manchester United 2 (Van Persie 2), group stage, October 2012

STATS…

United have won all five previous encounters with Romanian opposition including their 2-1 comeback success in Cluj-Napoca on 2 October against a CFR side then under the tutelage of Ioan Andone.

Group H winners United have won both home fixtures to date but CFR are unbeaten on their Champions League travels this term. They earned victories at FC Slovan Liberec and FC Basel 1893 in qualifying and then won 2-0 at Braga and drew 1-1 at Galatasaray.

Whatever the outcome CFR are guaranteed at least third place and Europa League qualification - meaning that for the first time they will be competing in Europe after Christmas.

This is United's 17th successive Champions League group stage campaign.

CFR's 2-0 victory against SC Braga on matchday one was only the third time a Romanian side had won away from home in the Champions League group stage, following FC Steaua Bucuresti (4-1 at FC Dynamo Kyiv in 2006) and CFR (2-1 at AS Roma in 2008).

Mário Felgueiras, Ivo Pinto, Cadú and Camora have played every minute of CFR's group stage campaign.

ODDS…

Manchester United to win: 1.66

CFR Cluj to win: 6.00

Draw: 4.2

TV: Live on Sky Sports 4 at 7.45pm

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