Despite the great wealth of his club, Sir Alex Ferguson has left himself short of cover in midfield and attack with the transfer window closed.
United have only six frontline midfield players (Arsenal have seven, Liverpool ten) and three strikers (Arsenal have five, Liverpool four).
Compared with United's nine players in midfield and attack, their main Champions League rivals are better stocked: Real Madrid have 12, Bayern
Munich and Barcelona 13, AC Milan 14 and Inter Milan 15.