CHAMPIONS LEAGUE TONIGHT : SIR ALEX CALLS FOR KILLER TOUCH

Just like last season Manchester United FC find themselves in a do-or-die duel with SL Benfica but according to Sir Alex Ferguson, this time they have only themselves to blame. Successive defeats at FC København and Celtic FC have left United needing a point to progress from Group F against Portuguese visitors who proved their nemesis 12 months ago – prompting the manager to bemoan his club's seeming fondness for "doing it the hard way".

"It is a surprise, but you look at the history of our club and we seem to enjoy doing that - putting our poor supporters on a knife edge," said Sir Alex, who hopes his players find the ruthless touch they lacked in losing to Celtic on Matchday 5. "We have to take our chances when we control a game. If we have control, and I hope we will have, then we have to finish it off. It worries you but then you say to yourself, trust them because some day someone is going to suffer and I hope it is Wednesday night. The team are playing with such penetration and speed you are confident they will make chances."

Benfica came from behind to beat United 2-1 in Lisbon on 7 December last year, denying them a place in the UEFA Champions League knockout stage for the first time since 1994/95. "Our pride was terribly hurt," recalled Sir Alex, who believes that setback acted as a spur to his players, who in 55 games since have won 38 and lost just eight. "Sometimes out of bad comes good. I think we are playing better - there is no question about that. Our form has been excellent." Saturday's 2-1 victory at Middlesbrough FC put them six points clear at the Premiership summit and, according to Benfica coach Fernando Santos, United are "a different team this year, much stronger and challenging at the top of their league".

For Benfica, two points behind Celtic and United, only one result will do. "This is a one-off game, a final," said Santos. "We're going to try to achieve what we set out to do at the start - to reach the knockout stage." Benfica's record in England does not augur well, with eight defeats in ten matches, but they won 2-0 at Liverpool FC on their most recent visit in March, en route to the quarter-finals, and arrived here buoyed by a 2-0 triumph at neighbours Sporting Clube de Portugal last Friday.

"I hope we can play even better than at the weekend," said Santos. "It is possible to beat United but it'll have to be a great Benfica performance. We have to be organised, compact, defend well and play well - and that means making opportunities to score and scoring them. If we get chances we have to take them." Portuguese teams have eliminated United in two of their previous three European campaigns but, predicting an open game, Sir Alex promised his players would show no caution. "Going for draws is not on the agenda of Man Utd and we will be going for the win."