Man Utd eye breaching Villarreal fortress

Both Manchester United and Villarreal look poised to qualify for the last 16 of the Champions League but top place is at stake when the two meet in a Group E duel on Tuesday at El Madrigal.

Holders United are bidding to become the first team to defeat Villarreal on their own ground in the Champions League – the club have played in the competition twice and have yet to lose at home – and if Sir Alex Ferguson's team achieve that feat they will go through as group winners.

Both sides have eight points, with Celtic and Aalborg BK languishing on two points apiece, and a repeat of the 0-0 draw between the two sides at Old Trafford would see the pair into the knockout stage.

“It's very important to finish top of the group as we did last season, but it's also very difficult,” French full back Patrice Evra told the club's official website www.manutd.com.

“Villarreal are a good team who play good football and it's never easy to go to Spain. But hopefully we can get the win we want.

“I don't feel more pressure (from being the holders) but I feel more responsibility. When you play for Manchester United I think it's easy to win trophies, but to keep hold of them is more difficult.”

United laboured to a 0-0 draw against Aston Villa at the weekend and stay eight points behind joint leaders Chelsea and Liverpool, although they have a game in hand, and they have injury problems ahead of the Villarreal trip.

Portuguese winger Ronaldo hobbled out of the draw at Villa Park with a leg injury and Ferguson fears he won't recover in time.

“His leg is a mess. He is doubtful for Tuesday,” said the Scot.

Bulgarian striker Dimitar Berbatov, the club's top-scorer in Europe with four goals, picked up a hamstring problem on international duty and is not expected to travel while defender Wes Brown is definitely out with an ankle injury

“It's disappointing but we've got cover with Gary [Neville], Rafael, and John O'Shea can also play there (at right back),” explained Ferguson.

Villarreal have their own injury concerns notably up front with Jose Llorente and Nihat sidelined but American-born striker Giuseppe Rossi, 21, will be fit to face his former club where he started his career before a ten million euro move to Villarreal in July 2007.

Last season's Spanish league runners-up Villarreal had actually been unbeaten in the league since April until this Saturday when Valladolid trounced them 3-0 at El Madrigal.

The defeat leaves Villarreal down in third, four points behind leaders Barcelona and Chilean coach Manuel Pellegrini called for a clean slate and the focus to switch to the duel against the European champions.

“It was a dark day for us,” said Pellegrini. “There may have been a lot of reasons for what happened and maybe the international matches was one. However, we should have been focused and we weren't. They ended up winning quite easily.

“The important thing now is to improve our peformance and focus on Champions League qualification.”