There have been no nightmares for Coventry City manager Gordon Strachan in the days leading up to the big match against the European champions Manchester United at Highfield Road tonight.

"I have slept easy," said the former United man. "My team is ready and we have some good players. The Moroccans Moustapha Hadji and Youssef Chippo are looking forward to it. This is the reason they came to play in England to take part in games like this.

"The same goes for Robbie Keane. He set a high standard with two goals on his debut against Derby County on Saturday and it would be unrealistic to expect him to maintain that level of return.

"But I was not surprised by his display. He may be nineteen years old but he has the football brain of a thirty-year-old and the maturity to match.

"When we sold Darren Huckerby I set about looking for a young striker and an older experienced player. With Robbie we have two rolled into one. I was convinced right away that he was the man for our club. I hope he will be good for us and we will be good for him."

And Strachan affirmed that he is full of admiration for his old boss Ferguson. He has a built a great team at United, but I think our role model at Coventry should be what he achieved at Aberdeen.

"Like us he had no money and small gates but he built a magnificent team of young boys who broke the Rangers-Celtic monopoly in Scotland. He did a fantastic job at St Mirren before that as well."