PRAGUE (AFP) - Sir Alex Ferguson has admitted that his side's current lack of goals is a source of concern in the run-up to Sunday's Premiership showdown with Arsenal.
The Scot had more than 60 million pounds (100 million dollars) worth of striking talent available here on Tuesday night but United were still unable to find the back of the net and were ultimately slightly fortunate to come away with a goalless draw against Sparta Prague.
The display was exactly the kind of blunt-edged performance United have been producing in the Premiership, where a tally of only nine goals from nine outings -- 20 fewer than Arsenal -- explains why Ferguson's men must win on Sunday or forget about reclaiming the title.
The Scot brushed aside suggestions that Tuesday's lacklustre display augured badly for his side's next encounter, snapping: "I'm not even discussing Sunday, that will take care of itself."
But he did concede that the lack of goals is a worry.
"It is always a concern if you are not scoring, particularly for a team that has a good strike rate, in Europe and at home.
"Some of the approach play was good today but we let ourselves down with the final ball. Obviously we have got players who can score so you hope that will turn."
Sparta, who had lost both their opening matches in group D, celebrated Tuesday's draw as if it had been the victory they were denied by a combination of the woodwork, poor refereeing and United goalkeeper Roy Carroll, whose second half block with his legs denied Sparta's lone striker Tomas Jun the goal that his efforts deserved.
"I think for the general control of the game we probably deserved something but the best chances fell to Sparta," Ferguson admitted.
Lyon's 3-1 win over Fenerbahce in Istanbul means the draw should not have overly negative consequences for United's prospects of advancing to the knockout stage of the competition, provided they beat Sparta at Old Trafford at the start of next month.
"We hope that Lyon win their next match and if we can get three points at Old Trafford that would put us in a great position," Ferguson said.
Sparta's young coach, Frantisek Straka, admits his side are realistically playing for third place and a spot in the UEFA Cup after Christmas.
"I'm not happy about the result because I think we had the chances to win the match but we got the tactics right and it was a great performance right.
"I wouldn't like to exaggerate its significance however. I'm aware that Rio Ferdinand and Roy Keane were missing for United and that might have had an impact. I don't think you can say they are not as strong as they used to be and I'm sure they will show that against Arsenal."
Ferdinand, who missed the trip to Prague to attend his grandmother's funeral, and Keane, sidelined by a virus, should both be back in action on Sunday.
Their absence in Prague was underlined by Sparta's first attack, which ended with Lukas Zelenka, running on to Jun's intelligent knockdown on the right of the box, being sent sprawling by an untidy, late challenge from Paul Scholes.
Italian referee Massimo de Santis's decision that contact had been made fractionally outside the area appeared harsh on the home side.
"I'm proud of my team's performance but I am not happy with the result because we had three great chances to score and the referee disappointed me a great deal, particularly at the start where he should have given a penalty," Straka complained with some justification.
Scholes made amends for his early foul with a delightful chip that sent Rooney scurrying clear on the right to deliver a drilled cross that Radoslav Kovac deflected dangerously close to his own goal.
The incident was illustrative of the relative ease with which the visitors were able to get behind the home side's defence but it was not until two near misses from Rooney in the final five minutes of the opening period that United were able to match the Sparta centre-back's effort.
By that stage Sparta should have been in front courtesy of Zelenka, who dragged his 26th minute shot wide after being left with only Carroll to beat courtesy of Silvestre's failure to intercept former United midfielder Karel Poborsky's pass into the box.
There was further frustration for the home supporters in the final minute of the first half. A good save from Carroll kept out the impressive Poborsky's fiercely struck shot from a tight angle and, from the resulting corner, Jun's header struck the outside of the post.
Sparta's final chance to claim all three points came 18 minutes from the end when Jun latched on to a long ball into the box and wriggled into space only to be denied by the legs of Carroll.
United too had an opportunity to steal victory when van Nistelrooy's cross from the right ran straight through to substitute Cristiano Ronaldo beyond the back post. The Portugal winger's mistimed contact and his frustrated reaction summed up United's night.