Fergie confident of turnaround

Sir Alex Ferguson has predicted Manchester United will qualify for the Champions League semi-finals if they score against Roma at Old Trafford next week.

Ferguson's 10-men slipped to a 2-1 defeat at the Stadio Olimpico on Wednesday night, Wayne Rooney's first goal in 18 games in the competition providing some much-needed relief after Paul Scholes was sent off for a second bookable offence after just half an hour.

Ferguson said: "If we score, I believe we will go through. Scoring the away goal is very important to us. We will miss Paul Scholes next week but providing we don't suffer any injuries at Portsmouth on Saturday, we will put out a team capable of winning next week."

United fought a brave rearguard action following Scholes' exit but goals from Rodrigo Taddei and substitute Mirko Vucinic, who netted the winner six minutes after Rooney's leveller, ultimately proved decisive.

It leaves the Red Devils needing to overturn a deficit to get through, something they have failed to do in knockout combat since the competition began.

However, despite the task facing his team Ferguson remained positive, singling out Rooney's strike as a major source of optimism.

Rooney's goal is bound to lift a burden from the youngster's shoulders.

Not since his memorable debut-day hat-trick against Fenerbahce in September 2004 had the 21-year-old found the net in Champions League combat. But there was no hint of nerves as he took down Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's right-wing cross, stepped inside Daniele de Rossi and smashed an unstoppable volley into the Roma net.

"For a 21-year-old boy Wayne showed fantastic composure," said Ferguson.

"On a big occasion like this it would have been easy for him to hit his shot right away. But he had enough composure to step inside the defender and finish so well. It will help him but I think it will help us more."