Manchester United will put their UEFA Champions League troubles fully behind them with a convincing victory over Portuguese side Benfica on Tuesday.
A win for either team would put them in first place with 11 points atop Group C. Both teams are 2-2-0 thus far, and United have played poorly in several of their group games.
The clubs opened the 2011-12 Champions League campaign at the Estadio da Luz and played to a 1-1 draw.
United then played FC Basel in their next group match at Old Trafford and drew 3-3 but would have lost that match if not for a late Ashley Young goal.
This is a massively important game for both clubs, so let's look at everything you need to know about this exciting matchup.
Where: Old Trafford, Manchester, England
Watch: Fox Soccer Channel in America, Sky Sports HD4 in England
When: Tuesday, Nov. 22 at 2:45 ET
Player To Watch for Manchester United: Wayne Rooney
United superstar forward Wayne Rooney has scored 12 goals this season in all competitions, but hasn't scored a goal since an October 18 match against Otelul Galati when he scored two penalties in a 2-0 Group C win.
Rooney must play well for the Red Devils to beat Benfica on Tuesday and take control of Group C. He is not a big-game player, but he must come through for his club versus a talented Portuguese club.
Player To Watch for Benfica: Oscar Cardozo
Oscar Cardozo has scored a club-leading eight goals in all competitions for Benfica this season, who are currently tied with FC Porto atop the Liga table.
Cardozo needs to bring energy to the Benfica attack on Tuesday because an early goal could really demoralize Manchester United and silence their fans.
Key Matchup: Cardozo vs. United back four
With the absence of world-class center-back Nemanja Vidic due to a red card suspension, Cardozo and the Benfica attack will have a much easier time creating scoring chances against the Red Devils defense.
Benfica should be relaxed going into this game because United has allowed a lot of goals this season to good attacking teams (including 6-1 defeat to Manchester City on October 23).
What They're Saying
United star Nemanja Vidic is banned from Tuesday's match against Benfica due to a red card he received against Otelul Galati on October 18.
His manager Sir Alex Ferguson said the following about the red card decision given by German referee Wolfgang Stark, via the Daily Mirror:
"I can understand the referee’s interpretation because German football is different to England."
Prediction: Manchester United wins 3-1
Benfica are a quality squad but Manchester United have too much attacking power not to score at least two goals.
Benfica have scored just five goals in four Champions League matches this season, and won't be able to score more than one against United at Old Trafford, where they are almost unbeatable.
Read more Manchester United news on BleacherReport.com
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