Neville fears early exit for United

England defender Phil Neville says Manchester United will go out of the Champions League if their fail to improve on their recent form.

Alex Ferguson's team travel to Porto on Wednesday for the opening leg of their Champions League first knockout round tie against the Portuguese champions having lost to Middlesbrough and drawn with struggling Leeds in their last two league games.

"Before the Leeds game the manager said that he didn't want us to stutter into the Champions League on Wednesday but we did stutter and the pressure is now on in Porto," Neville told the Manchester Evening News paper.

"Hopefully Wednesday can be a catalyst."

	Also Read


	Champions League heading for a thriller Vieira passed fit for Arsenal

"It is a massive game for the club. In the past we have raised our game in the Champions League and we certainly need to do that in Portugal because if we play anything like we have done in the last couple of weeks, we are going to be out of the competition."

"The lads are tuned into Wednesday. We know it is a big occasion and hopefully that will bring the best out of us."

The English champions have conceded 11 goals in their last five matches and Ferguson will also be without defender Mikael Silvestre for the next three weeks with an ankle ligament injury.

By contrast, Porto are unbeaten in the Portuguese premier league this season and beat Vitoria Guimaraes 3-0 on Saturday.

<<	More from rediff Fengal makes landfall near Puducherry; normal life hit States with best AQI in India Why Talks With Naga Groups Have Stalled Can We Wish Away Any Part Of Our Life? Can We Fight China, Pakistan With...? 'Vague Allegations Against EC Unfair' Hum Bharat Ke Log: New Rediff Series 'Election With EVM Is Not Fair Unless...' Eknath Shinde Has No Cards Left To Play 'EC Can Shut Mouths Once And For All'	>>

Neville fears early exit for United

India's Tour Of Australia 2024-25