The idea of losing their Barclays Premier League crown to Arsenal is unpalatable, but Manchester United are increasingly enthralled by the challenge on the European front in the second half of the season. A rallying call from Sir Alex Ferguson, the manager, included a pointed reference to the need to succeed in Europe, while Edwin van der Sar, the United and Holland goalkeeper, admittedly under duress, said that winning the Champions League was his priority.

United, by Ferguson’s admission, have underachieved in Europe, lifting the European Cup only twice compared with Liverpool’s five and Real Madrid’s nine, but their serene progress through the group stage of this season’s tournament - five victories and a draw – has fuelled his belief that they can finally add to the trophies they won in 1968 and 1999. While Lyons were far from the gentlest opponents they could have faced in the last 16 next month, Ferguson believes that the experience of his older players and the growing maturity of his multitalented youngsters means that United are better placed to challenge than last season, when they were overwhelmed by AC Milan in the semi-finals.

“I am looking for success in Europe as well as at home,” Ferguson said. “We have the players and the back-up to do it. We are a more mature team this season in terms of European football and we have played some successful and entertaining stuff.

“We have lost a couple of games in the league but our consistency overall has been very good. We are with the leaders in the league and we are through to the knockout stages of the Champions League and ready for the exciting games ahead.”

Van der Sar, a Champions League winner as a 24-year-old with Ajax in 1995, would dearly love to win the competition again now that he is in the twilight of his career. “It is very difficult to make a choice on trophies,” the goalkeeper said. “I don’t think you can really aim for one - I think you have to go with the flow a little bit – but if you had to make a choice in April or March as to which game you would prefer to play in, then I would prefer the Champions League. But all three competitions are nice. It would be great to be champions again.”

United’s challenge will soon be strengthened by the return from long-term injury of Gary Neville and Paul Scholes – with the former hoping to step up his rehabilitation in a reserve-team match against Everton this evening, having not played at first-team level since suffering damaged ankle ligaments last March.

Mikaël Silvestre, another long-term casualty, hopes to be back in first-team reckoning for the final weeks of the season, having been absent since damaging cruciate knee ligaments in the Premier League victory away to Everton on September 15.

Silvestre’s future at Old Trafford remains cloudy at best, with the France defender admitting yesterday that he was offered to Newcastle United last summer. Not for the first time, Silvestre claimed that he rejected that move because of the presence at Newcastle of Joey Barton – out of solidarity with Ousmane Dabo, his former Inter Milan teammate, whose training-ground brawl with Barton, the England midfield player, while at Manchester City last season has led to a charge of assault against the Newcastle player.

“When I said I wouldn’t go to Newcastle because of him, I was surprised by the reaction of people,” Silvestre said. “But for me, it is normal to say what I think. It’s hard for me to make a judgment of someone like Barton, but he needs treatment. Now I know I made a good choice by not going there.”

Silvestre admits that he has been “bored” by having to work on his fitness since his injury in September. “It is a bit boring and very tiring because I only stay in the gym and don’t get to go on the field,” the defender said.