Boss not worried by Jose record
Sir Alex Ferguson insists he is not worried by his poor head-to-head record with Jose Mourinho who brings his Internazionale side to Old Trafford on Wednesday night.
The United boss has just one victory from 13 attempts against his former Premier League rival during Mourinho's time at Chelsea and FC Porto.
But Sir Alex says he is unconcerned by individual statistics, preferring to concentrate on the bigger picture at Old Trafford.
"It is strange just to have one win against him," admitted the boss at his pre-match press conference. "It proves I am not infallible. I am vulnerable, just like anyone else in football. But the personal record does not bother me one bit. It can happen.
"I look at this football club and I have every right to be proud of it and what it has achieved in the time I have been here. That is more important to me."
Of great importance to the United boss is the recovery from an ankle knock to Rio Ferdinand. The Reds' defender was forced out of the FA Cup victory at Fulham at the weekend, but trained on Tuesday morning and is fit to face Inter. The same goes for John O'Shea who has recovered from a hamstring tweak.
Like last season when Barcelona visited Old Trafford in the semi-final, the Reds go into Wednesday's tie following a first-leg stalemate. Now, like then, only victory in the second leg will suffice.
And while United's domination at the San Siro two weeks ago has given the Reds plenty of confidence, Sir Alex will be taking nothing for granted against the Serie A leaders.
"You can never be over confident in this position simply because an away goal can be a severe setback," he warned.
"That was the situation when we played Barcelona. What we required that night was magnificent concentration and really good focus in our game. We managed to get through because of both those factors.
"When you play an Italian side, you have got to be at your best," he added. "Their record over the years has been fantastic.
"AC Milan have won the European Cup seven times, all in the modern era, which I believe makes them the most successful side because Real Madrid won their first five when European football was just beginning.
"Inter Milan have every right to go into the match thinking they can win. They are seven points clear at the top of their league and have a lot of experience. We expect a tough game but they should expect one as well."
