Ferguson to test youngsters against Besiktas

November 25, 2009

Despite Manchester United’s determination to hold on to their top spot in Group B of the Champions League, Sir Alex Ferguson will use the match against Besiktas to test his young players. The likes of Darron Gibson, Gabriel Obertan, Federico Macheda and Danny Welbeck will form an unfamiliar United line-up as Fergie gives many of his established stars a night off.

United already booked a spot in the knockout stages, but still battles with VfL Wolfsburg for the first place in the group. However, Ferguson will not send his strongest team on to the pitch against Besiktas. “I’ll be making changes. Not a lot, but enough to freshen things up,” Ferguson said. “Gibson will definitely play, and I’m thinking about giving Obertan a start to see how well he does. We can use the likes of Welbeck. He will definitely play, and Macheda probably. They are the ones who need to challenge.

“They’ve reached a point, and it happens in football, when a footballer has the ability to be a top player and you recognise that. You have to give them the challenge. If you don’t, they lose the scent. But this club has been good at recognising that over the years.

“When Nicky Butt and Paul Scholes came through, we thought they were certainties. We had to give them a chance – and we did. That’s the nature of football. A young player turns the corner and then ends up taking someone’s job.”

Man United is three points ahead of runner-up Wolfsburg while Besiktas are at the bottom of the group with just one point out of their four previous matches.

Paul Haring

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