VfL Wolfsburg host an injury ravaged Manchester United side at the Volkswagen Arena on Tuesday evening hoping to leapfrog the Red Devils into top spot in Group B of the UEFA Champions League.

United have been crippled with defensive injuries, with no less than eight defenders sidelined, including the likes of Rio Ferdinand, Johnny Evans, John O'Shea, Rafael, Fabio, Gary Neville, Wes Brown and Nemanja Vidic.

Full-back Patrice Evra is the only fit recognisable defender, meaning Sir Alex Ferguson will be forced to put round pegs in square holes as he attempts to pick a side capable of beating the German champions.

The Scot had hoped that the match was going to be a dead rubber, however, after a shock 1-0 defeat at home to Besiktas on Matchday 5, United have some work to do in order to secure top spot and avoid drawing the likes of Barcelona in the last 16.

Wolfsburg themselves were defeated 2-1 in Russia by CSKA Moscow, but Armin Veh's men now know that their destiny is firmly within their own hands.

The pair met at Old Trafford in late September with the Red Devils winning 2-1, meaning that Die Wolfe need only a 1-0 win in order to overhaul the visitors into top-spot in Group B.

Failure to win coupled with a victory for joint-second place CSKA over Besiktas will send the Russians through at the expense of the German champions, however, seeing United’s crippling defensive problems, Armin Veh will be confident of overturning the 2008 champions.

There is also a small matter of Die Wolfe's attacking duo Grafite and Edin Dzeko, who once again Fergie will be able to watch up close and personal!

Team News:

VfL Wolfsburg will continue with the defensive partnership of Ricardo Costa and Italian Andrea Barzagli, despite the pair looking suspect in recent weeks.

Bosnian playmaker Zvjezdan Misimovic will be looking to feed attacking duo Grafite and Edin Dzeko, who between them slammed home 58 goals last season.

Manchester United's wafer thin and injury-ravaged squad bears a whose-who feel to it with the likes of Oliver Gill, Magnus Eikrem and Cameron Stewart amongst the those who travelled to Germany.

Unsurprisingly, wholesale changes are likely to occur with Michael Carrick and Darren Fletcher likely to be asked to fill in at the back, whilst Danny Welbeck could be given a lone role up front.

Ryan Giggs, Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov have all been left at home with Fergie keeping one eye on the crucial Premier League clash with Aston Villa at Old Trafford on Saturday.

Probable Line-Ups; *Star Man:

VfL Wolfsburg (4-4-2): Benaglio; Schafer, Barzagli, Ricardo Costa, Riether; Josue, Gentner, Misimovic, Hasebe; Dzeko*, Grafite.

Manchester United (4-5-1): Foster; Fletcher, Carrick, Evra, Park; Valencia*, Gibson, Scholes, Anderson, Nani; Welbeck

ExtraFootie Prediction: VfL Wolfsburg 2 - 0 Manchester United. If this was a reserve team match we would tip United, but it is not and with such a crippling injury crisis we can see none other than a home win as Wolfsburg end the night as group winners, whilst United muse over the prospect of drawing Barcelona or Real Madrid (assuming they top their respective groups of course).