Sir Alex Ferguson will deploy a fairly strong Manchester United eleven for tonight's fourth-round Carling Cup clash with League Two Aldershot Town.
The Shots host the reigning English champions at The EBB Stadium but their chances of taking on weak United opposition seems unlikely as Ferguson has to get game time into some of his fringe players who have not been playing in the Premier League or Champions League of late.
"At the moment, I've got a really strong squad," he told MUTV. "We took 23 players to Romania [to play Otelul Galati in the Champions League] with us and left Rio [Ferdinand] behind because we weren't planning to use him in that game.
"So, with a squad of 24 players, some of them have to have games. Michael Owen and Dimitar Berbatov must have games.
"It'll be similar to what we did at Leeds, really. All [the youngsters involved at Elland Road] will be travelling with us.
"Young players emerge and take someone's position. It's happened time and time again at this club and I've experienced it over my 25 years.
"You see a young emerging star coming through the youth team, and then comes the Reserves and, before you know it, you say why don't you put this boy in the first team.
"It's down to temperament. That's important, and ability, courage and determination. They're all the factors we need for top players at United."
