Ferdinand starts for United in Valencia

With a crippling injury list Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson was forced to rejig his starting line-up for Wednesday Champions League group and gambled on the fitness of England international Rio Ferdinand who returned to partner Nemanja Vidic in central defence.

Midfielder Michael Carrick also returned from a niggling injury to start in a five man midfield with the industrious South Korean Ji Sun Park and Portuguese Nani providing the width.

Old heads Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Gary Neville were all out for United along with England striking star Wayne Rooney, but Ferguson resisted the temptation to replace Rooney with Michael Owen preferring to play with a lone striker in the shape of Bulgarian target-man Dimitar Berbatov.

In contrast Valencia coach Unai Emery had the luxury of fielding his strongest starting XI with the exception of winger Joaquin who withdrew from the squad with a late injury.

Valencia also begin with one striker in Spanish international Roberto Soldado with Juan Mata and Pablo Hernandez supplying the ammunition from the flanks.

Valencia

Cesar, Miguel, Navarro, Maduro, Mathieu, Pablo, Albelda, Costa, Mata, Dominguez, Soldado.

Manchester United

Van der Sar, Rafael Da Silva, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Carrick, Fletcher, Anderson, Nani, Berbatov, Park

Referee: Viktor Kassai (HUN)