Fergie's fear for Fabien

United's trip to Zalaegerszegi should hold no fears for the 1999 Champions League winners but Keane, who had his own wellpublicised trauma in the World Cup, nevertheless felt it necessary to warn against any possible slip-up.

The Irishman is still aggrieved that not only did United finish empty-handed to Double winners Arsenal, but that Liverpool pipped them for the runners-up slot and condemned them to next week's qualifying tie.

'This club must be in the Champions League and we dare not lose,' said Keane. 'The lads are ready for it and we know we won't be getting any second chances.

'Arsenal and Liverpool passed us by last year. They had that bit of hunger we lacked, which is why we didn't win anything.

'We had one or two problems in central defence and had eight or nine different partnerships over the course of the season, which is too much really.

'That is why the manager has brought in Rio Ferdinand, although it is easy to be critical of one area. We attack and defend as a team, so you have to look at the whole unit rather than just one part.

'The pre-season trip just gone has been a good opportunity for Rio to get to know the lads and some of the younger guys have been given a chance as well, which the manager always likes to do.'

United, who take on Argentina side Boca Juniors in a UNICEF charity game at Old Trafford tomorrow, will meet Zalaegerszegi next Wednesday in the former Nep Stadium, the scene of Trevor Brooking's spectacular strike in a World Cup qualifying win in 1981.

And a familiar face waiting for them will be ex-Charlton keeper Sasa Ilic, who was a victim of the financial cutbacks caused by the ITV Digital collapse.

Ilic failed to find a club willing to take him on after leaving Charlton at the end of last season and having scoured Europe for first-team action, he settled on Hungarian title winners Zalaegerszegi.

'When I decided to come here, I could never have dreamed of getting the chance to play against Manchester United again,' said Ilic.

'I came here with the aim of putting myself in the shop window and I could hardly have asked for a better opportunity.

'It may have seemed like a strange move but I knew I could put a couple of Champions League games on my CV. And even if United beat us, we will still qualify for the UEFA Cup. This is a relatively small club and the chance of playing United has just set the whole place on fire.'