If the pre-match sparring between the clubs' two managers is any guide, Manchester United's Champions League clash with Inter Milan should be a feisty, compelling encounter.
While some Fleet Street establishments have credited Sir Alex Ferguson as the victor of the press conferences yesterday, the general consensus is that Jose Mourinho gave as good as he got despite being handicapped by a unbalanced fixture list.
With Ferguson speaking four hours after Mourinho's own press conference, the Manchester United boss was able to enjoy the final word as he attempted to douse the most incendiary aspects of Mourinho's commentary - particularly his claim that United would "change" to blunt the Serie A league leaders.
Although the Inter Milan boss was not willing to repeat his ploy of 2005 when he named both the Chelsea and Barcelona teams in advance, Mourinho boldly confirmed the identity of his starting eleven and predicted that United would attempt to grind out a draw.
"I don't believe United are coming here to have fun. They are a great attacking team but I have watched them closely in Europe - starting with the goalless draw in Barcelona last season - and they have changed the way they play outside Old Trafford.
"I am not saying they are afraid. I know United don't like that word. I know Sir Alex doesn't like that word. But they respect us and they know they can lose and because of that they won't try the same approach in the Champions League. They don't come here to face us eye-to-eye and try to win at the San Siro. So they make changes and we don't change."
Ferguson declined to name his starting eleven, not least because of lingering injury concerns over John O'Shea and Jonny Evans, but his retort was trenchant: "Jose knows better than most that Manchester United do not often go into games not wanting to win. It will be the same out here."
Nor did he miss a shot at goal when a journalist quoted Mourinho's assertion that "They will change more than us" and "we will play 4-4-2."
"Obviously, I'm trying to think of how Inter could change and I can't come up with anything," the Scot responded. "We watched them on six occasions and they played the same way every single time."
Mourinho's Porto outfit knocked out United five years ago with a decisive last-minute goal at Old Trafford and that memory may have been a factor in his claim that this year's year tie would also go to the wire.
"Nothing will be decided tomorrow. After the game, we will all have the feeling that there is going to be another great game at Old Trafford.
"Probably come the last minute at Old Trafford, nobody knows who is going to go through. I am not expecting a result tomorrow that you can say it is done, that Manchester United or Inter have done it."
Ferguson, however, refused to play along.
"Well, I have to disagree with Jose there. I think it will be decided here. These days it's very important to take a goal back for the home leg. If we do that, we'll have a great chance."
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