Ferguson says it is 'impossible' for Barca to beat Liverpool

MANCHESTER United manager Alex Ferguson has given Liverpool a confidence boost by claiming Barcelona face an impossible task in overturning their Champions League deficit.

Rafael Benitez's men hold a 2-1 advantage from the clubs' last-16, first-leg match at the Nou Camp, thanks to Craig Bellamy and John Arne Riise.

And Ferguson, whose United side face arch enemy Liverpool in the Premiership tomorrow, said: 'If Barcelona win at Liverpool, they will be favourites. But they face an almost impossible task to win at Anfield.'

United themselves face Porto at Old Trafford on Wednesday, but Ferguson is not planning on resting his stars tomorrow for that Champions League game.

Instead, Liverpool can expect to face a full-strength United, who rested players for Tuesday's FA Cup thriller against Reading.

'Nemanja Vidic will be okay for Saturday after the knock he got at Fulham. We rested Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Michael Carrick and Patrice Evra, and had only Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney on the bench against Reading.

'Hopefully, they will all be right to come back at Liverpool because we know how big a game that will be for us.'

Midfielder John O'Shea feels United cannot afford to think they have won the title, even if they return from Liverpool with three points.

The Red Devils can briefly take a 12-point lead at the Premiership summit with victory at Anfield.

But O'Shea said: 'We cannot afford to think the title is won if we win at Anfield.

'It is an early kick-off, so we get the chance to go 12 points ahead. But we know the way Liverpool have been playing at home in particular and, from our matches against them in years gone by, that the game is going to be very tough.

'But we are full of confidence just now. The manager is loving it and so are we. We have a lot of big games coming up, but that is exactly where we want to be.'

United, meanwhile, are plotting to sign Celtic midfielder Shunsuke Nakamura.

Ferguson has been impressed by the Japanese's form and would like to bring him to Old Trafford for footballing reasons.

He has the backing of United's marketing department, which is looking at selling Nakamura merchandise in East Asia.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE