Edwin eyes early qualification

Edwin van der Sar wants United to take a step closer to the Champions League knockout stages with victory over Dynamo Kyiv on Tuesday. But the Reds goalkeeper insists United are not underestimating their Group F opponents.

After two 1-0 wins over Sporting Lisbon and AS Roma, the Reds are in a commanding position to finish top of the group. However, van der Sar is drawing on the experience of last season, when defeats to Celtic and FC Copenhagen left the Reds needing a result against Benfica in the final group match to qualify.

“Last season we started off well in the Champions League, but then we got ourselves in difficulty by losing twice and needing to win in the last game,” van der Sar said on the eve of the match.

“The first thing you want is to qualify and the second is to do it as quickly as possible. But we can’t underestimate the opposition.”

Dynamo Kyiv may have lost both their opening matches, but there are pitfalls in playing the Ukrainians at home.

“We know that it can be difficult on these nights,” adds Edwin. “The home crowd will be fanatical and there’s also the cold to contend with.

“We’ve watched the videos and had the analysis from the scouts and the coaching staff, but the games can sometimes be different. We want the best at United, and that means qualifying as quickly as we can.”