Champions League Preview: Shaktar Donetsk vs Manchester United

“It is always the thing at Manchester United – everyone is interested in them. It is talking point for everybody throughout the world,” admits the Scot.

“That is why it is, for me, the greatest club. It is a great honour to be the manager. Even our arrival here in Donetsk has been greeted with a lot of supporters at the airport. It is a great thing.”

On the pitch Moyes has a largely complete squad to select from, although defender Rio Ferdinand was the major absentee from United’s Tuesday morning flight east. The 34-year-old defender has a minor groin strain, although it is unlikely the veteran would have featured in any case. Ferdinand has missed similarly lengthy European trips in recent season.

Meanwhile, Robin van Persie could start after the Dutchman returned from injury as a substitute at the weekend. Patrice Evra and captain Nemanja Vidic should also feature after sitting out United’s horror-show at home to West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.

Marouane Fellaini is set to start alongside Michael Carrick, while Moyes will choose between Nani, Antonio Valencia and Ashley Young for a spot on the flanks. Teenage sensation Adnan Januzaj, fresh from scoring a stunning left-footed drive for the reserves on Tuesday, does not qualify for the Champions League ‘B list’ until mid-October.

“Yes, Robin is fit, but we will make a decision tomorrow whether we start him or not,” confirmed Moyes. “We have left one or two players behind. Anderson, Fabio, Wilf Zaha and Rio Ferdinand are not with us. Rio has a slight groin problem but it’s nothing serious.”

Meanwhile, the hosts are without summer signing Wellington Nem, who suffered a knee injury shortly after joining from Fluminense for £8 million. However, Lucescu can select Fred, Fernando and Bernard who all joined in the summer, making it a round 10 Brazilians in the Shaktar squad.

The Ukrainians helped eliminate Chelsea in last season’s group stage, with Lucescu’s men beating the then holders 2-1 in Donetsk with goals from Alex Teixeira and Fernandinho. Indeed, Shakhtar have won all three previous Champions League fixtures against English visitors to the Donbass, beating Arsenal in 2001 and 2011.

Veteran coach Lucescu become the club’s longest-serving coach this week having been in charge since May 2004 in what has been an unprecedented period of success. Seven Ukrainian league titles have followed together with a hat-trick of Cups between 2011 and 2013. The UEFA Cup was secured in 2009, while the club made the Champions League quarter-final in 2011.

Now 68, Lucescu played for his country 70 times and made over 400 appearances for Romanian clubs before retirement in 1990. He has managed a dozen clubs in a managerial career now drawing to a close, including Internazionale when the Italian club was beaten by United on the way to Champions League victory in 1999.

Still, with Moyes’ United struggling for form, Lucescu senses a genuine opportunity to take a major European scalp, especially with Shaktar’s record proving so durable against English opponents.

“David Moyes hasn’t found his best lineup yet, as he is changing four or five players from game to game,” said Lucescu pointedly.

“The link-up play between their players is not as good as it used to be so the team suffers, which is happening with us too because Shakhtar have a lot of new players.

“He is clearly one of the best coaches in the Premier League, but he needs time to organise his new team properly. I am sure that sooner or later he will resolve all his present problems, but I hope it will happen after the game in Donetsk.”

Moyes hopes much the opposite. Indeed, the Scot can barely afford a result beyond a rare away victory at the Donbass.

Shaktar Donetsk v Manchester United, Champions League, Donbass Arena, 7.45pm, 2 October 2013

TeamsShaktar (4-5-1): Pyatov; Srna, Kucher, Shevchuk, Rakitskiy; Hubschman, Teixeira, Costa, Bernard, Luiz Adriano; Taison. Subs from: Kanibolotskiy, Volovyk, Chygrynskiy, Kryvtsov, Stepanenko, Fred, Kobin, Eduardo, Fernando, Grechyshkin, Ilsinho, Ferreyra

United (4-4-1-1): De Gea; Rafael, Evans, Vidic, Evra; Valencia, Carrick, Fellaini, Welbeck; Rooney; van Persie. Subs from: Lindegaard, Fabio, Buttner, Smalling, Jones, Cleverley, Giggs, Kagawa, Nani, Hernández

Head-to-HeadShaktar 0 Draw 0 United 0

OfficialsReferee: Pavel Královec (CZE)Assistant referees: Roman Slyško (SVK) , Martin Wilczek (CZE)Additional assistant referees:Radek P?íhoda (CZE), Michal Paták (CZE)

Prediction0 – 0