It has become a familiar tactic of Sir Alex Ferguson at this time of year to trumpet Manchester United’s chances of winning the Champions League, while, in almost the same breath, conceding that his team’s record in the competition has not been “good enough”.

Since lifting the European Cup in 1999, United have failed to progress farther than the semi-finals, but, as the United manager once again talked up the prospect of repeating the feat before the first leg of his team’s first knockout round tie away to Lyons at the Stade de Gerland this evening, there was more conviction in his voice.

The weaknesses in United’s squad last season were exposed in the second leg of their semi-final against AC Milan when a combination of injuries, tired legs and inexperience culminated in a chastising 3-0 defeat at the San Siro that cost Ferguson’s team a place in the final in Athens, but few would question the manager’s assertion yesterday that “we’ve got a stronger squad this time, more complete”.

That is likely to be illustrated by his team selection against the French champions when at least four of the players who featured in the 4-0 FA Cup fifth-round romp against Arsenal at Old Trafford on Saturday are relegated to the substitutes’ bench.

Anderson, Nani, Darren Fletcher, Michael Carrick and, to a lesser extent, Park Ji Sung, were in imperious form against the Barclays Premier League leaders, but only Anderson, the Brazil midfield player, may start against Lyons, with his place likely to be under threat from Carlos Tévez.

Ryan Giggs, who is expected to become only the eighth player to make 100 Champions League appearances, Cristiano Ronaldo, Paul Scholes and Owen Hargreaves should return for United as Ferguson seeks to expose Jean-Alain Boumsong, the former Newcastle United defender, and Fabio Grosso, the Italy left back.

“We’re lucky on this occasion in that we have 22 players who are all fit and ready to play,” the United manager said. “It’s a fantastic position to be in and, if we can keep them fit, it gives us a fantastic chance of success. The midfield area is where I’ve got my best options, as we showed on Saturday.

“I have got a selection headache if you like, but when you’re playing at the level we are, you can’t see that as a hindrance.”

United are the firm favourites, not only to progress to the quarter-finals, but also to win tonight. Still, while the draw has been more favourable to them than it was to Liverpool or Arsenal, Ferguson has warned his players not to underestimate Alain Perrin’s team, who are seeking a seventh successive French championship.

Ferguson was invited to watch Lyons’ 4-1 victory over Sochaux 11 days ago as a guest of Jean-Michel Aulas, the French club’s president. Lyons have since lost to Le Mans, allowing Bordeaux to close the gap at the top of the table to one point, but Ferguson is wary of the threat posed by several of Perrin’s players, not least Karim Benzema and Hatem Ben Arfa.

Aulas has placed a £42 million price tag on Benzema in a bid to ward off potential suitors, among them United, and Ferguson has put Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic on alert as they attempt to shackle the highly rated 20-year-old France striker, who has scored 25 goals this season. Ben Arfa, a winger, is also only 20 and a France player. United could step up their interest in the pair this summer, although Benzema remains the more likely target.

“They are only 20 years old, but they are both in the France team, which tells you how good they are,” Ferguson said.