United can win the battle of self-belief

Despite back-to-back wins Manchester United are still widely regarded as being on the cusp of a crisis. Klaus Toppmoller, the effervescent coach of Bayer Leverkusen, could be forgiven for scoffing at the notion. When it comes to crises, he is facing a real one.

United are seventh in the Premiership and confront Leverkusen tonight having won their first Champions' League tie 5-2. Leverkusen, runners-up in the Bundesliga, German Cup and Champions' League last season, are 15th in the 18-team Bundesliga, lost their opening Champions' League tie 6-2 and have won two matches in eight this season, one of them by a solitary goal against amateur opposition in the cup.

Two of the key players from last season, Michael Ballack and Ze Roberto, have moved on to richer pastures and another brace, Jens Nowotny and Diego Placente, are injured. For a club without the financial resources and historical allure of United this really is a crisis. An early Champions' League exit, and the failure to requalify, could signal a further exodus and in a return to the backwaters.

Not that United will show any pity. Leverkusen knocked them out at the semi-final stage last year. Though Ruud van Nistelrooy yesterday dismissed talk of revenge, victory would provide some recompense.

It is eminently feasible. Though Roy Keane and Paul Scholes are still out, United are gradually taking on a more familiar hue. Laurent Blanc will be back and while Gary Neville is likely to remain on the bench, his brother, Phil – freed from Keane's diatribes – is in rare form. But if the defence is looking more secure, and the midfield is creating chances, there remains a doubt over the finishing, especially Van Nistelrooy's. Excluding penalties, the Dutchman has only scored one goal this season, but he said it is just a matter of time.

"In a split second things can happen and I always believe it will happen next time," he said. "You can never expect to score all the time. There will always be times when you do not perform well. It is about the way you deal with it. I am working hard to make things happen up front. And I am working hard on the training ground. That is where you lay the base for success."

Music to the ears of Ferguson who was sitting alongside. As if to underline the point, the United manager then spoke about David Beckham who made his Manchester United debut (as a substitute in a Rumbelows Cup tie at Brighton's now demolished Goldstone Ground) 10 years ago.

"He has a massive profile and while it is incredible the way he handles it he is best when he is concentrating on his football and is with us," Ferguson said. "He is coming into his peak years now. At around 27 years old players acquire an authority. They understand what happens in a game and what they are capable of."

Beckham has been made United's captain in Keane's absence, breaking the previous policy of the longest-serving player (usually Ryan Giggs) taking over when a stand-in was required. Ferguson revealed: "He has surprised me. I thought he was a quiet lad, but I was impressed with him as captain of England which is why I made him captain here."

Ferguson will be asking his players to avoid their customary slow start in an attempt to take advantage of Leverkusen's fragile confidence. Despite their poor run the German side have continued to play positive football and the result may come down to who recovers their self-belief first: Van Nistelrooy or Leverkusen.

Bayer Leverkusen (3-4-1-2): Juric; Lucio, Ramelow, Zivkovic; Schneider, Vranjes, Balitsch, Simak; Basturk; Neuville, Brdaric.

Manchester United (4-4-2): Barthez; P Neville, Blanc, Ferdinand, Silvestre; Beckham, Butt, Veron, Giggs; Solskjaer, Van Nistelrooy.

Referee: J Wegereef (Netherlands).