Taking a chance on something, only for it to backfire, may have been a feature of Manchester United's problematic start to the season but Alex Ferguson is intent on taking a few more calculated risks yet.

United can pip Deportivo La Coruna, their bete noire in this season's Champions League, as winners of Group G if they beat Lille at the Stade Felix Bollaert in Lens tonight.

Already assured a place in the second phase, finishing top would pit them against one, rather than two, of the other group winners in Friday's draw - a list already incorporating Juventus and Real Madrid.

All of which prompted a few raised eyebrows when Ferguson arrived here yesterday with a skeleton squad.

The notable absence of Gary Neville, Ryan Giggs and Wes Brown with slight injuries and Fabien Barthez with an ear infection, plus the captain Roy Keane and Ronny Johnsen, was a factor clearly beyond the manager's control.

Riskier, however, is his decision to rest Juan Sebastian Veron and Ruud van Nistelrooy.

"It is a gamble," Ferguson agreed. "If you are second in your group it means you will face two group winners in the second phase, so there is an obvious incentive to win. I just think we have to rest players when we get the opportunities."

Ferguson feels that resting Veron and van Nistelrooy for Sunday's match against title rivals Liverpool at Anfield outweighs the risk. He is also mindful that Veron will head to Argentina for their final World Cup games immediately after the Liverpool game.

"If you consider the programme that Veron has been through, he's been back to Argentina three times since coming to the club and one of those trips was for two matches," he said.

Ole Gunnar Solksjaer, whose goal ratio will be enough in itself to worry a Lille side needing a win for a place in the Uefa Cup, replaces van Nistelrooy, probably alongside Andy Cole.

David May and Laurent Blanc are expected to become Manchester United's seventh central defensive pairing of the season.

Meanwhile, Republic of Ireland Under-21 international centre half John O'Shea is part of United's squad and may play some part in proceedings.

MANCHESTER UNITED (Probable, 4-4-2): Carroll; P Neville, May, Blanc, Silvestre; Beckham, Butt, Scholes, Fortune; Solksjaer, Cole.

LILLE (probable, 4-2-2-2): Wimbee; Pichot, Fahmi, Cygan, Ecker; D'Amico, N'Diaye; Landrin, Cheyrou; Sterjovski, Boutoille.