Boss expects entertaining tie

Sir Alex Ferguson expects a competitive, entertaining tie as United begin their Carling Cup campaign against Coventry City on Wednesday night.

Iain Dowie's Sky Blues come to Manchester with just one point from their last three games, but with a huge travelling support, and Sir Alex is wary of the Midlanders' threat.

"He's doing a good job, Iain," Sir Alex told Manchester United Radio. "I watched them on Saturday against Ipswich. They lost three goals in the first half but they looked the better side to me.

"I think Coventry will have a real go. It will be a fantastic atmosphere, which I think will help them, with 10,000 of their fans here. It will feel like a real cup tie."

The United manager confirmed that he will field a host of his squad's burgeoning young talents against the Sky Blues, and hand run-outs to players who are in need of action.

"I'm going to play the younger ones, but also players like Anderson, Nani, maybe O'Shea," he said. "But the younger one like Pique, Evans, Simpson, Bardlsey, Eagles, Martin, Dong, Campbell, Kuszczak – they'll all be involved."

Sir Alex also confirmed that another match-hungry member of his squad has been pestering him for some involvement on Wednesday night.

"Wayne Rooney's been in my ear wanting to play," he revealed. "'I want to play, I want to be captain, I want to take the penalties, the corners, the free kicks, the goal kicks, the lot'.

"There's a real buzz about the place. We're really looking forward to it."