Galati coach fearing United backlash

Alex Ferguson's team will play at Old Trafford tomorrow for the first time since their 6-1 annihilation by Manchester City nine days ago, which sent shockwaves around the world.

News certainly reached Romania, with Munteanu not knowing whether to laugh or cry given United's tendency to bounce back from significant setbacks.

In the end, Munteanu opted for the sensible option of simply ignoring what he felt was a freak result.

"That game was an accident," he said. "A result such as that can happen to anyone. Manchester United are still a very big team and we will have the utmost respect for them."

Indeed, after failing to collect a point from the opening three games of their Champions League debut campaign, Otelul would regard a point tomorrow as a major triumph.

"A draw would be a dream," said Munteanu. "If we look at our group, the biggest rival we have is Basle because we are trying to finish third.

"We have to keep going until we play them because that is when our fate will probably be decided, but you never know what might happen."

Not that Munteanu has any guide. After all, he feels his side are approaching the most significant test any Romanian outfit has been posed in the Champions League era.

"Nobody has had to face a team like this," he said. "Manchester United are one of the top clubs in the world. Two weeks ago, they beat us at home, now we have to turn that result around. The key will be to eliminate our mistakes."