By Ed Osmond
MANCHESTER, England, Oct 17 - Lille coach Claude
Puel believes his side can bridge a huge gap in resources and
cause Manchester United problems in their Champions League Group
D match at Old Trafford on Tuesday.
Puel accepts that the French club cannot compete with
United's wealth but believes his players have the ability to
make life difficult for Alex Ferguson's side, just as they did
in the same competition four years ago.
"They are giants of the game and we are a small club," Puel
told a news conference on Monday. "We respect them but I prefer
to concentrate on our own strengths and I hope the players will
feel free to express themselves."
United needed an 89th-minute winner by David Beckham to beat
an obdurate Lille side 1-0 in Manchester in 2001 before a 1-1
draw in France and Puel thinks the English team are less
experienced now.
"They were more the finished article four years ago, more of
a unit," Puel said. "Now they have a lot of young players with
huge qualities who can make the difference on the day."
One young player Puel will not have to worry about is United
striker Wayne Rooney who is suspended.
"They will miss Rooney, he is a great player and it will
definitely be easier for our defenders," Lille's Nigerian
striker Peter Odemwingie said.
Lille are languishing ninth in the French Ligue 1 standings
after finishing second behind Olympique Lyon last season and
Puel, who played nearly 500 games in the heart of Monaco's
midfield, is not expecting United's injury problems to make his
task any easier.
"They still have very good players and we must be at our
best," he said.
Lille defender and captain Gregory Tafforeau is the only
survivor from the side that faced United four years ago.
"We have a great challenge but we are looking forward to
it," Tafforeau said. "We enjoy playing against the best players
and we must raise our game."