ALEX FERGUSON has ordered his players to build Old Trafford back into a fortress and start blowing teams away again.
By NEIL CUSTIS
Manchester United begin their Champions League campaign against Galatasaray tonight having won just one home game in two European competitions last season.
Boss Fergie insists they let teams off the hook too often, which proved costly in the league as well.
The most notable slip-ups were when they drew home games against Basel and Everton after leading 2-0 and 4-2 respectively.
Ferguson said: “I think that, without doubt, has to be a driving force this year.
“If you think back to leading Everton 4-2 and then drawing 4-4, we can’t have that happening again.
“So goal difference is going to be important — it will be a priority this season.
“Particularly in the attacking part of the team we are very strong and hopefully that makes a difference to us.”
Last season’s European nightmare clearly still haunts Ferguson as he harks back to leading Benfica at home 2-1 and Basel 2-0.
They even threw away a lead against Athletic Bilbao in the Europa League at home, losing 3-2 and eventually going out to the Spanish side in the last 16.
Ferguson added: “I think we all agree we were careless in two of the games at home last season, we were in a winning position against Benfica and drew 2-2.
“I thought we played well in that particular game but the Basel game is the one where the criticism quite rightly lies.
“We were 2-0 up and playing very well but then got really careless in the second half and ended up with a 3-3 draw which really, in effect, knocked us out.
“We were chasing our tail a bit by having to go there and get a result. So that was disappointing “Hopefully our home form will be good again, as it has been for many, many years.”
To make sure of that, Ferguson will not be tampering with his team just to give young players some experience.
It was the mistake he made last year in the belief that what looked like an easy group would be something of a formality to qualify from.
It looks the same again this year but Ferguson said: “We don’t want to be as careless as we were last year and the team I choose will reflect that.
“Over the past few years the group stages have been very straightforward for us so it gave me the opportunity to play a lot of young players.
“But I’ll be playing a more experienced team this time.”
After winning the competition twice and reaching three finals in four years prior to last season’s shock early exit, Ferguson knows what it takes to be successful in the Champions League.
He is convinced they can be up there again this season if they avoid the injury problems that decimated their back four last season.
Skipper Nemanja Vidic was out for most of the season, Rio Ferdinand had intermittent problems while Phil Jones and Chris Smalling are currently sidelined.
Ferguson said: “I think the key for us is if we can keep the defenders fit.
“I really mean that because we have had a really rough ride with defenders being injured for the last two or three years. But if they remain fit it definitely gives us a better opportunity.”
