Man Utd, City hoping for ECL success

Manchester United's goal-shy players tackle CSKA Moscow at Old Trafford in the Champions League on Tuesday determined to end a goal drought that now stretches to 295 minutes.

Since Anthony Martial's diving header earned United a 1-1 draw in the reverse fixture two weeks ago, Louis van Gaal's side have registered successive 0-0 draws against Manchester City, second-tier Middlesbrough, who beat them on penalties in the League Cup, and Crystal Palace.

It is the first time since 2005 that United have gone three games without scoring, which Van Gaal admits is a "big concern", and Morgan Schneiderlin has urged his team-mates not to allow the issue to become a fixation.

"It's frustrating when you don't win games," the French midfielder told MUTV.

"We have the players to score goals and we will score goals. It's not a worry for me. We've had the chances and sometimes it's just a matter of taking the time to make a good choice.

United's latest stalemate saw them held by Palace at Selhurst Park on Saturday, where the visitors mustered just a single shot on target.

United's drop in productivity has coincided with Van Gaal's decision to move Martial, the Premier League's Player of the Month for September, to the left flank and utilise Wayne Rooney as a lone striker.

Rooney's dismal form has prompted calls for the United captain to be either dropped or withdrawn to a number 10 role and Van Gaal's tweak in the latter stages at Palace, when Martial went up front and Rooney moved out to the left, suggests the Dutchman may be thinking along similar lines.

CSKA geared up for the trip to northwest England by beating struggling Ufa 2-0 on Saturday to preserve their unbeaten record in the Russian Premier League, which they lead by nine points.

But victory came at the cost of a muscular injury to Ivorian striker Seydou Doumbia, scourge of Manchester City in last season's group phase, who was substituted at half-time and is now a doubt for Tuesday's game.

Premier League leaders City travel to Europa League holders Sevilla on Tuesday intent on proving they won't be Champions League flops once more this season.

Kevin de Bruyne's injury time strike snatched a 2-1 win for City when the sides met a fortnight ago in Manchester to put Manuel Pellegrini's men in the driving seat along with Juventus to qualify from a devilishly difficult group also featuring Borussia Monchenglabach.

Despite their riches, City have failed to make it beyond the last-16 in the Champions League, crashing out to Barcelona in each of the last two seasons after being beaten to first place in their group by Bayern Munich.

After a disastrous start to the campaign in a 2-1 loss at home to Juventus, City have given themselves a chance of topping the group with back-to-back wins to close to within a point of the Italian champions.

And Yaya Toure is aware that City must begin to make an impact in the Champions League if they are to be taken seriously by Europe's elite.

"When I came to this club I came to lift trophies," he told the club's website.

"We know that to be a big club we must continue winning important trophies and making our imprint in Europe."

The visitors will again be without the injured Sergio Aguero, whilst David Silva remains doubtful due to the sprained ankle he suffered playing for Spain three weeks ago.

Raheem Sterling is expected to replace Nigerian wonderkid Kelechi Iheanacho after the English international was rested from the start of Saturday's 2-1 win over Norwich.

Sevilla have injury problems of their own as top scorer Kevin Gameiro misses out due to a hamstring problem picked up in Saturday's 2-1 defeat at Villarreal.

Fernando Llorente is the favourite to deputise for Gameiro after netting just his second goal for the club at the weekend.