'Once again, Sir Alex Ferguson's failure to recruit a world-class goalkeeper came back to haunt him last night and may well have cost him his European dream for another season. Roy Carroll committed a calamitous blunder in spilling the ball to the inviting feet of Hernan Crespo, who thrashed his shot high into the net with 12 minutes remaining.
It was the latest high-profile blunder from the hapless Carroll, whose hopes of a new Old Trafford contract must lie in tatters this morning. Just as Tim Howard's late blunder against Porto last season saw Manchester United crash out of the Champions League, Carroll's may well end up having the same disastrous outcome.
On the eve of the game, boss Fergie challenged his players to seize the moment, claiming they possess the right blend of youthful exuberance and experience to be crowned kings of Europe this season.
One player crucial to any success will be the prolific Ruud van Nistelrooy, whom Fergie decided was not fit enough to start after three months out with an achilles problem.
United had coped admirably in the Dutchman's absence, stretching their unbeaten run in the Premiership to 16 games and progressing to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup.
But with Chelsea so far ahead in the title race, Europe has assumed greater importance for Fergie and his squad, who have under-achieved in the competition since their dramatic triumph in 1999.
Fergie had expected to face Jaap Stam, the towering centre-back to whom he showed the Old Trafford exit door in 2001 after criticism of the United boss in the Dutchman's autobiography.
But Stam was forced to pull out of the Milan line-up after suffering an apparent injury in the warm-up, dashing his hopes of a first game at Old Trafford since his unceremonious departure.'