Giggs relishing FA Cup atmosphere
Ryan Giggs has enjoyed many big nights on the Champions League stage with Manchester United – but the winger admits he gets a special buzz from playing in front of a full house at a small stadium.
The 30-year-old is set to re-live that experience tonight at St James Park, the home of Conference side Exeter, in an FA Cup replay, providing he shakes off a hamstring injury.
He has travelled to the west country with the rest of the squad and is rated at 50-50 for the match by manager Alex Ferguson, who will name a strong side.
Giggs said: “I have played at smaller grounds in the FA Cup before. You usually get a great atmosphere.
“They are great games to be involved in because you don’t get a chance to experience things like that very often. It will be a step into the unknown for a lot of players. But it is something you look forward to.”
United were not the only big club to struggle in the cup against lower league opposition.
Chelsea and Arsenal both went behind, to Scunthorpe and Stoke respectively, before sealing a place in the fourth round, while Liverpool were dumped out by Burnley last night.
Giggs said: “The top three were all in trouble. This year has been full of shocks. There is massive pressure on us because we have to win. If we apply ourselves correctly and approach the game right, we should be all right.
“I don’t think you go into the game thinking about what happens if you lose. You go into it thinking if you perform and play well you are going to win.”
England defender Gary Neville will start for the first time in a month following a virus that kept recurring.
Ferguson said: “Gary is back and fit. He is fine. He’s had 10 days training and will play. It has been a surprise it has taken him so long to shake off the virus. It persisted in the lad.
“We have done all the blood tests and checks and he is perfectly all right now.”
United are not taking any chances after the embarrassing goalless draw with the non-league team at Old Trafford.
Ferguson said: “I am taking a strong side and hopefully we will get the result we want. We expect a different type of game, a different Manchester United. Whether Exeter will be able to cope with that is down to the romance of the FA Cup.
“On paper we should be winning these games and that is a disappointment (not to do so). The important thing is we have had the freshness of players coming back like Gary Neville, John O’Shea, Quinton Fortune, Louis Saha and Wayne Rooney after suspension.
“That is going to be really important to us as games come Saturday, Wednesday, Saturday, Wednesday right through to end of the season.”
