Ferguson counts on Tevez, the new Cantona

For a man who claims never to read the opinions proffered about his team, the Manchester United manager certainly has a pretty decent grasp of what was written and said about his team's efforts in the wake of the 1-1 draw in Lyon, a result that stands them in good stead for tonight's return at Old Trafford.

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Ferguson fumed at suggestions that his team 'got away with it' after Carlos Tevez equalised in the closing minutes in the Stade de Gerland, expressing his displeasure both privately and publicly over the past fortnight.

On Monday he was at it again, albeit with a smile on his face. 'Theory is different than opinion,' said Ferguson. 'I never said that we were the better team. I just didn't agree with what was written. That was what I said.

'We played a lot better than what was suggested and I didn't think it was a bad performance at all. Lyon set out to make sure they didn't lose a goal and that's why scoring that late goal was a real bonus for us.

'For large parts, we had good control of the game. As I said before the first leg, the tie was always going to be decided at Old Trafford.'

It is a while since Ferguson has been so riled by something so innocuous, but it perhaps indicates how badly he wants to reach his first European final since 1999.

Monday's most eloquent summation of how much United want this trophy was provided by defender Rio Ferdinand. 'The disappointment of going out last season has stayed in people's minds,' he said.

It is, however, Ferguson's obsession with the competition that drives this team. His decision to leave Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo out of Saturday's Barclays Premier League team at Fulham betrays his priorities. He feels he can rest players at home, but he will not do so in Europe.

Both will return at a packed Old Trafford on Tuesday for a game against talented opposition — a game United should win. But to say that Tevez's late strike in France changed the balance of the tie is an understatement. It was a seismic shift.

VIDEO: Owen Hargreaves practices his keepy-uppys wearing a blindfold, talks about whether United are gunning for the Premier League or the Champions League and talks about showing off tricks during a match. Click here

Tevez — a substitute on that night — has developed something of a knack of scoring important late goals in his debut season at United.

To Lyon can be added the names of Liverpool and Tottenham. All have suffered from the Argentinian's impeccable sense of timing.

Ferguson added: 'He is proving something of a master at scoring the really important goals — the ones that give you a win or a draw, especially away from home.

'Carlos reminds me of Eric Cantona in the way that he has a knack of rising to the occasion with a goal just when it's needed. He often comes up with the goods away from home when you are up against it. I don't think anything fazes him.

'I consider we are in a good position but not a decisive one. However, now that we have an away goal, our opponents will have to produce something very special to get past us.'

Lyon arrived in Manchester last night fresh from a 1-0 win against Lille but with their star name behaving a little like a player who has allowed recent publicity go to his head.

The prodigiously gifted centre forward Karim Benzema was identified in the Spanish Press yesterday as Real Madrid's prime summer target and his name also figures prominently on Ferguson's wish-list.

But Benzema's moaning about being played on the left will not have escaped Ferguson's attention, nor will his refusal to shake hands with colleague Hatem Ben Arfa when he was substituted at the weekend.

Lyon manager Alain Perrin said: 'These two players have already declared that they are not the best friends in the world.

'I will speak to them, but these are matters between men. They are not linked to a problem in the game. It's their private life, their personal life.'

Ferguson was understandably impressed with what Benzema did in scoring against his team two weeks ago but will care little for talk of this behaviour.

United won the Champions League almost nine years ago with two forwards — Teddy Sheringham and Andy Cole — who did not speak to each other.

Can Lyon replicate that this season? If the French team progress even as far as the last eight it will be a huge surprise.

MANCHESTER UNITED (4-4-1-1): Van der Sar; Brown, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra; Ronaldo, Scholes, Hargreaves, Nani; Rooney; Tevez.

LYON (4-3-2-1): Coupet; Clerc, Squillaci, Cris, Grosso; Juninho, Toulalan, Kallstrom; Govou, Ben Arfa; Benzema.

Referee: Roberto Rosetti (Italy).

TV: ITV1 from 7.30pm (kick-off 7.45).