Carlos errs on the side of caution

Assistant boss Carlos Queiroz says United will take a cautious approach in their opening Champions League Group F match in Lisbon on Wednesday evening.

The Reds flew out to Portugal on Tuesday morning, minus Owen Hargreaves and Gary Neville, but boosted by the return of Wayne Rooney to full fitness after recovering from a broken foot.

Queiroz is expecting a tough encounter against his former club, for whom he was a coach, but is hopeful of a positive outcome for the Reds.

"We are going to play a cautious game because we respect Sporting," he told Uefa.com. "However, we will play with ambition because we want to collect the three points at the Alvalade.

"This is not the best time to face Sporting. This is not our best moment and this is also the first group stage match. But hopefully we can get the result we want."

Queiroz is not the only United representative returning to face their former team. Both Cristiano Ronaldo and Nani are ex-Sporting graduates and Queiroz says it will be an important occasion for the Reds' Portuguese clan.

"Of course it will be a special feeling playing against Sporting, as it will be for Nani and Cristiano Ronaldo," he insisted.

"But we are all professionals and I am sure we will do our best. I hope we can play a tremendous game and I'm sure the Sporting fans are expecting this."