United fly out on Moscow mission

Manchester United took a strong 24-man squad to Moscow today to prepare for the Champions League final on Wednesday against Chelsea.

The party, led by manager Alex Ferguson, flew out of Manchester Airport at lunchtime on a private charter.

Ferguson has already admitted he will have a tough job, not just picking a team but choosing his seven substitutes.

It means six players will be left watching the game from the stands at the Luzhniki Stadium.

Paul Scholes has been promised a place in the starting line-up after missing the European Cup victory in 1999 through suspension.

It might also be a memorable night for Ryan Giggs as he is poised to overtake Bobby Charlton’s club record of 758 appearances.

Squad: Van der Sar, Kuszczak, Heaton, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Brown, Neville, O’Shea, Silvestre, Pique, Scholes, Carrick, Giggs, Hargreaves, Anderson, Fletcher, Park, Nani, Ronaldo, Rooney, Tevez, Saha, Welbeck.