Skysports.com look at the key battles which may determine Manchester United's tie with Marseille.
Which individual battles could decide Man United's tie with Marseille?
Manchester United's task is straightforward. A home win over Marseille is required to secure a place in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals.
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skysports.com look at the key battles which may prove crucial in ensuring a goalless first leg does not turn into a nightmare result for the Red Devils. United have traditionally struggled when taking a 0-0 stalemate into a second leg but given Marseille's relative paucity in terms of posing an attacking threat, Sir Alex Ferguson will be quietly confident his side will have enough to progress.
PAUL SCHOLES v ANDRE AYEW
Scholes' reckless tackling gets him into trouble at times, but he remains a maestro of the passing game. Ayew caught the eye in Marseille and the Ghana star has plenty of energy. He will need to match Scholes' finesse though to come out on top. With United struggling for fit bodies in midfield it seems likely Ferguson will call on his veteran schemer to pull the strings.
WAYNE ROONEY v SOULEYMANE DIAWARA
After almost a year in the doldrums, Rooney is starting to find his goalscoring form again with four in his last six games. Diawara kept United quiet in the first leg but his concentration may be suspect and he can expect a tough examination this time around. A goal against Arsenal at the weekend will see Rooney start the game in a confident mood and should he shine at anything like peak performance, Marseille will struggle to control him.
NEMANJA VIDIC v MATHIEU VALBUENA
Marseille look to have limited attacking threat, so if Vidic can subdue the lively France international, the hosts will take a significant step towards the last eight. It is a task the Serbian is well capable of on his performances so far this term. Alongside him Chris Smalling has looked a more than able replacement for Rio Ferdinand and his composure should allow Vidic to dominate Valbuena, providing he shrugs off a slight knock to start at Old Trafford.
