Fergie talking like a beaten man: Mourinho's record has the United manager worried....

Going into what are without doubt the two biggest games of the season the last thing any United fan wanted to hear was the manager saying "I am not infallible. I am vulnerable", which is what Fergie said on the eve of the Reds must win clash with Inter Milan.

Fergie says that he isn't worried about Jose Mourinho's record against United, but clearly that isn't so, given the United manager has admitted he feels "vulnerable". Has Ferguson ever used that word before in a run-up to any game? I don't think so.

The fact that Fergie is feeling vulnerable should be cause for concern over his state of mind, because last week he more or less admitted that he doesn't know what his strongest team is. True enough, no matter what team Fergie has selected it has largely been hugely successful, but the next two games are the biggest of the season so far and so now is not the time for muddled thinking over tactics and selection issues.

Fergie knows that the Reds may well live to regret not scoring in the first leg of this Champions League tie. If, god forbid, United contrive to allow Inter through to the quarter-finals, then for the rest of his life, Fergie, will wonder why he left Wayne Rooney out of his starting eleven in the San Siro.

It is inconceivable that Fergie will once again leave out Wayne Rooney against Inter Milan tonight. However, United fans will recall that in 2004 the manager left Ronaldo out of both starting line-ups against Porto, who went on to win the competition...

Ferguson needs to be bold in his selection; he needs to send out his strongest attacking team which has to include, Rooney, Ronaldo and Berbatov. If United go out of the Champions League with all guns blazing the fans will live to forgive Fergie, but should the Reds go out without so much as a whimper - as they have done so many times under Fergie - then who knows how the rest of the season will unfold starting with Saturday's clash with Liverpool.