United must beware the human cost of failure

Much of the build-up to Manchester United's Champions' League qualifying tie against Zalaegerszeg at Old Trafford tonight has focused on the financial price of failure. This is estimated at a minimum £15m for the club, rising to £40m had they gone on to win Europe's premier competition. It would also sting ITV, Nike and Vodafone, respectively the Champions' League broadcaster, United's kit manufacturers and their sponsors, for a few million apiece.

What is being overlooked, as United attempt to overturn a one-goal, first-leg deficit, is the human cost. As United have piled up the domestic honours Sir Alex Ferguson has become increasingly fixated on European success. He has always been more interested in the next trophy than the last, and is less interested in cementing his personal place in history than people imagine. But he believes his team deserves to be regarded among the European greats and is acutely aware they are yet to earn that right.

Ferguson wants United to be mentioned in the same hushed tones as such multiple champions as the Ajax and Bayern Munich teams of the Seventies, Liverpool of the Eighties and the current Real Madrid line-up. At present there is a danger that United's 1999 triumph will come to be seen as a one-off, just like their 1968 win, or those of Steaua Bucharest and Red Star Belgrade.

Ferguson's hunger is, though, nothing compared to that of Roy Keane. In his infamous autobiography, Keane recalls 1999 in withering terms. "The champagne was flowing, people were going crazy – but my belief was we had been lucky against a Bayern Munich team that bottled it."

The passage reeks of envy. Keane, having been central to United's passage to the Barcelona final, missed it through suspension. Thus while his team-mates, after each subsequent European failure, consoled themselves with the memory of 1999, Keane felt only pain and frustration. At first, he admits in his book, "I kept my mouth shut", but in the last two seasons this manifested itself in angry denunciations of his colleagues' desire. "It drove me crazy then, it drives me crazy now," he added of the wallowing in 1999.

One fears such a sentiment is not just his ghost-writer's "poetic licence". Keane has never appeared serene, but in recent seasons he has moved closer and closer toward the edge of reason. This season, there is a genuine concern he may fall over it completely, as Eric Cantona did at Selhurst Park. The way Keane berated team-mates on Friday, even after he had been at fault for Chelsea's opener, suggested his tempestuous exit from the Irish camp has done nothing to quell his demons. With his international career apparently over, Europe is now Keane's biggest stage and the impact of United failing to reach the group stages of the Champions' League can only be guessed.

Fortunately for Keane's peace of mind Zalaegerszeg are unlikely to withstand the United assault he will tonight orchestrate. Since the match a fortnight ago, the Hungarian champions have conceded six goals and taken one point from two domestic fixtures. The most recent result was Saturday's 3-0 defeat to MTK of Budapest.

While United have not been entirely convincing either, Ferguson was justifiably encouraged by their second half at Stamford Bridge. This featured United's best football so far this season and Ferguson said: "If we get anywhere near what we produced on Friday night we will win easily. Against a good Chelsea side we reached a really high level. It was an impressive performance."

Having been on the bench then, Juan Sebastian Veron is likely to be omitted again tonight. Ferguson's other decisions concern who supports Ruud van Nistelrooy in attack and whether to risk Rio Ferdinand in central defence. With goals required Ole Gunnar Solskjaer may be given the nod but Ferdinand, though back in training after his ankle injury, can expect a watching brief.

"He has a chance and there is an attraction about playing him but it might be better to settle for Saturday [when United play at Sunderland]," said Ferguson of Ferdinand.

While Ferdinand, like Gary Neville, nears fitness, Ferguson remains concerned about Fabien Barthez. A hip injury continues to restrict his training leaving United with just the untested 19-year-old Ben Williams as cover for stand-in keeper Roy Carroll. Ferguson will not move until United's short-term European future is settled but, should they progress tonight, will seek a loan signing. Fabian Carini of Juventus and Derby's Mart Poom have been mentioned.

First, though, Zalaegerszeg must be seen off and Ferguson added: "They fought like tigers in Budapest and they will again. We have to make sure our football is quick. The away goal is always a worry but the major threat is our own lack of concentration, although after the blow we suffered over there our minds should be fully focused."

Expect Roy Keane to ensure that they are.