Neville: United must beat Rangers
Two of the most eagerly-anticipated matches for years in British football loom large over the next three weeks as the English champions go head-to-head with their Scottish counterparts.
At stake is not only bragging rights, but millions of pounds in revenue as it is almost certain whoever emerges on top in the two forthcoming group games at Ibrox on Wednesday and Old Trafford on November 4 will qualify for the knockout phase.
Neville concedes after losing to Stuttgart in their last outing earlier this month, the pressure is on United to put Rangers in their place as they cannot afford another defeat.
"There is a big game coming up, but we've had those over the last few years and this will be no different," said right-back Neville. "Rangers are above us in the group at the moment and to get where we want to be we have to get two positive results against them.
"They will be thinking the same thing. The Stuttgart result has put pressure on us in a sense that we are allowed no more slip-ups. You're allowed one and we've already had that.
"If we don't win at Ibrox it will make it even more difficult so we have to get two results in these two games because the middle two games in these groups always define whether you sail through or you find it difficult.
"We've got Panathinaikos away and Stuttgart at home after that so these two matches do set up the whole group, although two draws will be no good for either team.
"But Rangers have always been a very positive club, and we certainly are. We'll be going out to win both games because we have to make sure we get through to the knockout phase."
"I think we'll all be inspired by the atmosphere though I hope we are but, while people are talking about that and other things surrounding the game, we've just got to focus on the game because the most important thing is the result."
The same can be said for their win over Leeds, with Neville admitting United were not at their best and that "it was a relief to get the three points."
Their patience was rewarded, although they had to wait until the 81st minute for skipper Roy Keane's headed winner to see off a dogged and determined Leeds side who did not deserve to lose.
Keane again produced a performance of stature, with Ferguson claiming "he was all over the place" in terms of his willingness to cover every blade of grass.
Yet it was the display of Rio Ferdinand which more than impressed Ferguson in light of the headlines following his centre-back's failure to attend a recent drugs test and in the face of the expected hostility from the Leeds fans who once idolised him.
"I cannot think of a better performance by Rio, particularly in this situation in coming back to his old club," exclaimed Ferguson.
"I never thought of leaving him out and he was fantastic. The fans shouted every time he touched the ball, but we expected that. To be honest, I thought the Leeds fans were quite fair and in the end I think they gave up."
Which is something Leeds must not do as they continue to hover above the relegation zone, although Reid is upbeat as he said: "We've proved we can compete with the best now we have to do it consistently."
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