FC Porto v Man Utd

Ferdinand has been training at Porto's Estadio do Drag

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson says Rio Ferdinand will start Wednesday's Champions League quarter-final second leg against Porto.

Ferdinand missed last week's 2-2 draw because of a groin injury.

"It gets us back the partnership between Rio and Nemanja Vidic, which has been the cornerstone of our great defensive performances," said Ferguson.

Anderson and full-back Rafael da Silva, who have both been carrying injuries, are also in United's squad.

The return of Ferdinand, who has also had to contend with a niggling back injury, is a welcome piece of good news for Ferguson.

United went 14 games without conceding a goal earlier in the season, but injuries and suspensions in defence have seen them let the opposition score in their last five matches.

"We think Rio is fit," said Ferguson.

"He trained on Friday, Saturday and Sunday and he will start (on Wednesday).

"There is a lot of quality in Rio's game, so he is obviously going to make a difference."

United are aiming to become the first English team to beat Porto on their own ground.

The Portuguese side, who are unbeaten in 20 matches and are closing in on a fourth domestic league title in a row, are missing just one player, defender Jorge Fucile.

But Porto will have coach Jesualdo Ferreira watching on from the stands at the Estadio do Dragao as he serves a touchline ban imposed by Uefa.

Ferreira was initially suspended for two matches after he gestured toward the referee when a Porto goal was disallowed during an earlier Champions League match against Atletico Madrid on 24 February.

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Man Utd (from): Van der Sar, Foster, Kuszczak; Neville, Evra, Ferdinand, Vidic, Rafael, Fabio, O'Shea, J. Evans; Ronaldo, Anderson, Scholes, Gibson, Carrick, Park, Nani, Giggs; Rooney, Tevez, Berbatov, Macheda.

BIG MATCH STATS

If past history is anything to go by, holders Manchester United statistically have only a 16% chance of progressing to the semis, following their 2-2 draw against FC Porto at Old Trafford.

This is the fourth time FC Porto and Manchester United have been drawn against each other in European competition. Porto have prevailed on two occasions, knocking United out of the 1977-78 Cup Winners' Cup and the 2003-04 Champions League. United eliminated the Portuguese club at the quarter-final stage of the 1996-97 Champions League.

Porto have never lost at home to Manchester United , winning 4-0 in 1977, drawing 0-0 20 years later and winning 2-1 in 2004.

Current squad members Wes Brown, Gary Neville, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes (who scored in the home leg), John O'Shea, Darren Fletcher and Cristiano Ronaldo all played for United during the second round matches with Porto in 2004. Porto's only survivor from those matches is Pedro Emanuel who came on in the 36th minute of the 1-1 draw at Old Trafford.

Porto are unbeaten in 12 European home matches against English clubs, winning five and drawing seven.

Manchester United have visited Portugal nine times, winning four, drawing one and losing four. Their most recent visit resulted in a 1-0 win at Sporting during the 2007-08 CL group phase.

CLUB FORM

PORTO

Can become the first team from outside Spain, England and Italy to reach the Champions League semi-finals, since PSV in 2005.

Unbeaten away from home in the Champions League since their last visit to England; a 4-0 defeat by Arsenal in September last year.

Undefeated in six CL matches since losing 1-0 at home to Dynamo Kiev last October, but have not won in their last three.

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MANCHESTER UNITED

Playing in their 10th Champions League quarter-final, a record for the competition.

Played more matches in all competitions this season, than any of the other seven quarter-finalists. Their 54 games is 11 more than that of Porto.

Playing their 150th match in the competition.

Unbeaten in 22 Champions League matches. This is a record for all European competitions (excluding the Super League), eclipsing Juventus' record (20) which was set in 1972.

Unbeaten away from home in the competition for nearly two years since a 3-0 defeat by AC Milan. The 10-match unbeaten streak is the second longest in Champions League history, bettered only by Ajax's 14 match unbeaten streak away from home between 1994 and 1997.

Recorded goalless draws in both of their last two CL away matches and have not won in their last three away games in the competition.

KEY PLAYER NOTES

Seven Porto players have played in every match of their club's CL campaign this season with two - Bruno Alves and Rolando - playing every minute.

Cristian Rodriguez, Ionut Sapunaru and Hulk will be suspended for the first leg of the semi-final, if Porto qualify.

Manchester United's Brazilian midfielder Anderson played three matches for Porto in the 2006-07 Champions League.

Wayne Rooney is the only United player to have played in all nine of the club's matches in this season's Champions League.

He will be suspended for the first leg of the semi-final, if United get through.