David Beckham will try to eliminate his old team on the same field he was once revered.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

While his starting place is uncertain, David Beckham's mere presence at Old Trafford on Wednesday could boost AC Milan's attempt to overturn a 3-2 deficit against Manchester United in the Champions League.

Unusually, United's home fans will likely warmly embrace an opposition player.

The 34-year-old Beckham hasn't played a club match at Old Trafford since his acrimonious departure in 2003 and United midfielder Paul Scholes believes the home fans will be pleased to see him again.

"United fans still love him for what he did for this club and he will get a fantastic ovation," said Scholes, who made the United first team alongside Beckham in the 1990s. "He will need to be watched though. If you give him time and room on the ball there is no doubt he will pick players out. From free kicks as well, his delivery is as great as ever."

With such encouraging words, it's little wonder that Beckham isn't apprehensive about returning to the club that helped him win six Premier League titles and a Champions League.

"I'm not nervous, I'm happy because for the first time after seven years I will return to Manchester and go on the pitch," Beckham said. "If I play on Wednesday, I won't be frightened, but I will be excited in any case because I played in that stadium for many years and I know what it means to be a Manchester United player."

And United manager Sir Alex Ferguson doesn't discount Beckham's enduring ability to deliver an accurate ball.

"David's strength has always been his crosses and if he plays tomorrow that will be threat against us, and his set piece play," Ferguson said. "But I don't know if he will start. I've not got that down in my conclusions of the Milan team."

Beckham is on loan at Milan from the Los Angeles Galaxy until the end of the season and his hopes of reaching the Champions League quarter-finals were helped by Clarence Seedorf reducing the first-leg deficit with a late goal two weeks ago.

Milan had led through Ronaldinho's early goal, but Scholes tied it before Wayne Rooney added two more to clinch United's first win at the San Siro.

"That was a landmark victory for us and it was a psychological thing winning there," Ferguson said. "European football is one of a changing nature every year and the challenge to me seems to get different because it's a varied tournament in terms of club form. The Italians have not been as good as the Spaniards or English teams, but there is a sense they are better now."

United will have Rooney -- the top scorer this season with 28 goals -- back in the team after recovering from a knee injury that ruled him out of the league win over Wolverhampton on Saturday.

"He's fit and I'm glad to say it," Ferguson said. "He showed a rapid improvement from Saturday morning. I didn't give him a chance of being fit. In his form at the moment he's a threat to anyone."

Milan also looks set to have striker Alexandre Pato and Seedorf back in the team after they missed the 0-0 draw at AS Roma on Saturday.

"We don't fear any team in the world, not even Manchester United," Milan president Silvio Berlusconi said. "On the contrary, it's the others who must fear us."

United, though, has never been eliminated in Europe after winning an away first leg and has reached the last two Champions League finals, beating against Chelsea on penalties but losing last year to Barcelona.

"I don't think we are very good at defending leads," Ferguson said. "We shouldn't be confused by the score of 3-2 being a bye in the next stage. We have got to accept this is a very difficult game for us tomorrow and one we need to win."