United need heroes as they prepare for Barcelona

As the mouthwatering prospect of the Champions League final between Manchester United and Barcelona at Wembley looms, the British press are falling over themselves to have their say on who, or what, will make the difference on Saturday night.

United's lacklustre performance against the Catalan giants in the 2009 final features large in the build-up. While some excitable journalists talk of revenge, those connected with the club call it "learning from mistakes".

Paul Scholes tells the BBC: "There is a determination to make sure that doesn't happen again. It wasn't a nice night and the summer afterwards felt very long." And in the Times defender Patrice Evra says he does not want a repeat of events two years ago, announcing: "It is important to keep Manchester United on top of the world. In 2009, I was thinking if we win, that it is just normal. This year I would say it is going to be a big achievement if we win."

As for Alex Ferguson, he has long maintained that he knows why United lost in 2009. Although he has not said what he thinks went wrong, he claimed this week: "They are a better team than when they beat us but we are more experienced now. We are more patient, while our possession of the ball and concentration levels are so much better. That experience [of 2009] has helped us and, of course, we have players with good ability, which helps."

So who will be key to United's chances? Kevin McCarra in the Guardian believes it is time for Wayne Rooney to step up.

"He does have a winner's medal from the tournament already but he had been substituted before Chelsea were beaten on penalties in 2008," he writes. "Neither he nor anyone else made their mark in the following season when smoothly formidable Barcelona won 2-0. Any player with Rooney's gifts ought to crave a match that will imprint his name on football history."

Antonio Valencia, who has overcome a broken leg, is also earmarked as a key player for United. Mark Ogden in the Telegraph calls hims "powerful, pacy and direct" and says: "Rooney has spoken glowingly of Valencia's contribution and it is no coincidence that the United forward has scored seven of his 15 goals this season since his wingman of choice returned to action."

As usual Korean Ji-Sung Park is hailed as Ferguson's go-to man for the big games, with analysts lining up to praise his work rate and doggedness in midfield. Javier Hernandez is also seen as a possible trump card for United.

Inevitably, the spirit of '68 has been evoked and in an interview with the Independent Bobby Charlton reflects on United's Wembley triumph 43 years ago. The United legend, a survivor of the Munich air disaster who scored in the final nine years later, said of Barcelona: "They're a great football club, and they have great players, but so have we. It may well be that we don't win, but I think they will have to work really hard to beat us."

He added that he had not lost sleep pondering how to stop the likes of Xavi and Messi. He, it seems, is in the minority.

Almost everyone else has had their say on the tactics United should use to thwart the Spanish champions, and in particular Messi. Ogden in the Telegraph declares that United have developed a "radical rescue plan" should they fall behind.

"United have worked at length on a 4-4-2 formation with Wayne Rooney and Javier Hernandez as the focal point of the attack, a plan is also in place to move to 3-4-3 should Barcelona take a lead and leave United chasing the game in the second-half," he claims

In the Independent Jack Wilshere has some advice for Ferguson, despite being 50 years younger than the United boss, who won his first European trophy nine years before the Arsenal player was born. It boils down to getting tight, holding shape and not man marking Lionel Messi - "if you try to stop him too much there are other players who can hurt you like Iniesta and Xavi". ·