Champions League: Who Will Score for Manchester United?

Manchester United's recent Champions League record is a tale of both great success and great underachievement.

Despite a streak of consecutive appearances closing in on Real Madrid’s all-time record of 15, the club have only reached the pinnacle of European club football one time—in 1999, as part of the famous Treble.

Last season, Alex Ferguson's team reached the semifinals before crumbling in the San Siro. But what of their chances for 2008?

United’s progress through the Group stages has been serene, with five wins and a draw to go along with a healthy goal differential. The Red Devils go into the draw for the knockout stages in a good position to make a run at another title.

Following last season's success, Fergie strengthened his squad with the acquisitions of Bayern Munich’s Owen Hargreaves and starlets Anderson, Nani, and Carlos Tevez.

Hargreaves comes with a good Champions League pedigree, having been part of the Munich team that won in 2001. It’s his performances in CL competition that likely impressed Fergie—especially given United’s failure to keep clean sheets in key games.

Last season’s exit came in a demoralising defeat to a much more experienced Milan side. But much has changed since then.

Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo are still improving, and have already formed a formidable front three with the newcomer Tevez.

Anderson, meanwhile, has demonstrated his capabilities in midfield, and Nani has shown flashes of his promise.

At the back, United have looked solid despite being without club captain and 98-game CL veteran Gary Neville. The back four and goalkeeper have formed a consistent unit, and look capable of holding against European attacks.

United were critcised early in the season for not scoring enough goals. Things have improved thanks to the form of Rooney, Ronaldo, and Tevez, but the lack of an out-and-out goal scorer (remember Ruud Van Nistelrooy ?) may well come back to haunt United down the road.

Injuries to Louis Saha have limited United’s goal-scoring options. What the Devils would have given for a Van Nistelrooy-type to nick a goal in Milan last season!

The lack of a goal-scorer hurt this team against Manchester City and Bolton this season. Rumors have circulated for months (years, even) about United lining up a new striker, but with the January window fast approaching there's been little sign of movement from Old Trafford.

Could this be the fly in the Champions League ointment?

In the 1998-1999 season, United had Andy Cole, Dwight Yorke, Ole Solskjaer, and Teddy Sheringham, who combined for 18 CL goals. They were supported by Ryan Giggs, Jesper Blomqvist, David Beckham, and Paul Scholes, who collectively chipped in 11 scores.

This season United have scored 13 times in the CL—three coming from defence, five from Ronaldo, and five from Rooney and Tevez.

While this is an excellent start, United will need to ensure that Ronaldo, Rooney, and Tevez maintain fitness and form coming into the busy spring period, as last season the Milan game was just one too many for United’s young team.

Very few sides can match the flair, pace, and power United have shown this season. If the club can learn from previous campaigns and display a bit of composure in the big games, they'll have a great chance to make 2008 a year of European glory.

That said, the lack of a pure scorer could be the one thing that thwarts United’s ambitions.

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