Manchester United host CSKA Moskva at Old Trafford as Match Day 4 of Champions League kicks-off in Group B on Tuesday night.
If facts are taken into account, Russian team's most recent group-stage away win came in the same 2004/05 season that United last suffered a home defeat in the UEFA Champions League.
That record, and a 1-0 home reverse against United on Matchday 3 thanks to Antonio Valencia's late goal, means new CSKA coach Leonid Slutski and his players may feel they have something to prove as they look to better their first Group B away performance, a 3-1 reverse at VfL Wolfsburg.
Even if United pursue for an outright win, they would have to do without striker Rooney, who missed training on Monday as his wife Coleen was giving birth to their first child.
Central defensive duo Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic along with Ryan Giggs are already ruled out.
Dimitar Berbatov is a doubt with a knee injury, while Park Ji-sung will not be considered despite returning to training after fluid on his knee.
With a crucial Premier League clash with Chelsea on Sunday, manager Sir Alex Ferguson will not want to take any chances as United only require just one more win to qualify for the knockout phase.
And CSKA will be travelling to Old Trafford without Mark Gonzalez, Guilherme and Sekou Oliseh. Left-winger González has been ruled out for the rest of the year, having suffered an ankle injury while on international duty with Chile. Oliseh meanwhile sprained his hip in the pre-match warm-up last weekend.
REVIEW:
Manchester United stumbled into the knockout phase of the Champions League after a stoppage-time goal secured a 3-3 draw at home to CSKA Moscow on Tuesday night in this Group B encounter at Old Trafford.
CSKA took the lead on 25 minutes through the impressive Alan Dzagoev's thumping finish. But United drew level just four minutes after falling behind when Michael Owen fired past Igor Akinfeev from close range.
However, CSKA were back in front within another two minutes as Milos Krasic capitalised on the gaps in the home defence to skip past Edwin van der Sar and lift his shot into the net.
And CSKA scored a third goal, two minutes after the restart, as the unmarked Vasili Berezutsky headed home a free-kick at the far post.
The Red Devils should then have had a penalty, only for Darren Fletcher to be booked for diving. But a late rally from United eventually materialized as Scholes rose well to head home Gary Neville's free-kick with six minutes to go.
And the comeback was completed in stoppage-time as Valencia's deflected effort left Akinfeev with no chance to ensure United reached the last 16 with two games to spare.
In a frantic finale, CSKA finished the game with 10 men as Semberas was shown a second yellow card after tangling with United substitute Gabriel Obertan.