Alex Ferguson knows Manchester United’s next two games are “massive” but admits they are ‘equally as important as the other’.
United are preparing to face the Stamford Bridge outfit knowing defeat will knock them off the top of the Premier League and pitch them into a two-game goal difference shoot-out to decide the championship.
It is a scenario Ferguson had hoped to avoid by claiming something from last weekend’s trip to Arsenal.
But defeat, plus the memory of how United suffered at Chelsea’s hands right in the middle of two huge tussles with Bayern Munich, has led Ferguson to no other conclusion than he must make changes for Wednesday’s semifinal second leg with Schalke.
“If you look at our experience of last year, the team were very tired against Chelsea in that next game after losing in Munich,” he said.
“All four semifinalists lost this weekend too and there are certain statistics that tell you the European games do take it out of you.
“That has to have a bearing on my team selection.
“We have two massive games. Both as important as the other.
“Chelsea is massive, so I have to pick the right team on Wednesday to ensure I have the same kind of freshness I need for Sunday’s match.
“Hopefully I will have the nucleus of a team that is still good enough to win the match.”
Ferguson knows that is not entirely necessary either.
Last week’s two-goal victory in Germany means Schalke must come up with a repeat of their destruction of holders Inter Milan at the San Siro.
It appears highly unlikely, even if Ferguson is refusing to take anything for granted.
“It is always dangerous in football to assume you have cracked it; that you have found a silver bullet or discovered some secret formula for success,” said Ferguson.
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