Darren Fletcher urges caution as Celtic step Euro mind games
Darren Fletcher has warned his Manchester United team-mates not to be taken in by the defeatist talk coming out of the Celtic camp ahead of tonight's Champions League clash.
Hoops manager Gordon Strachan has virtually dismissed any chance of a home win that would rescue their hopes of reaching the knockout stage, while Celtic's dismal 3-0 defeat at Old Trafford a fortnight ago has merely heightened an inferiority complex within Scottish ranks.
But Fletcher said: "You have to take everything they say with a pinch of salt.
"I know some of the Scottish players in the Celtic team. Although they respect the opposition, on their day they feel as though they can beat anyone.
"They are building us up now but when the match starts, all reputations will be put to one side because they want our scalp."
United will probably qualify even if they lose but Sir Alex Ferguson is keen to reach the knockout phase with two matches to spare.
With Gary Neville and Wes Brown both on the injured list, teenage Brazilian Rafael is likely to start at right-back.
However, Ferguson faces a difficult choice between Tomasz Kuszczak and Ben Foster in goal after deciding to rest Edwin van der Sar.
Kuszczak played against West Ham last week and then expressed the hope that he would not be waiting long for another opportunity.
For Foster, 25, the wait has been even more frustrating following two loan spells at Watford and cruciate knee ligament surgery that limited him to a single appearance at Derby last term.
But Ferguson is a big admirer.
"I can only go on what I see of that lad and in terms of first-team football, that means the Derby game last season," said the United manager. "But, considering it was his first game for a year, it was a magnificent performance.
"From that, what we see of him in training and what we saw of him at Watford, I would say he is England's No1.
"The problem for the lad is that he has just recovered from an injury and Edwin van der Sar is there.
"It doesn't make it easy for him. But he is young and his time will come."
