Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has confirmed striker Louis Saha is out of this week's Champions League quarterfinal against Roma.

Saha will miss the tie - the winners face either Barcelona or Schalke in the semi-finals - as he recovers from a hamstring injury.

Manchester United striker Louis Saha is hoping to repay the faith Sir Alex Ferguson, the manager, has shown in him by overcoming his injury problems and scoring goals consistently.

"My target is to stay fit and keep finding the back of the net," the striker said.

Manchester United insist striker Louis Saha is not out for the rest of the season - and will be back from injury sooner rather than later.

There has been speculation the Frenchman is out for the remainder of the season with knee ligament damage.

However, chief executive David Gill has dismissed that suggestion.

"He only has a slight knock, " Gill told Radio Five Live's Sportsweek programme. "He is not going to be out for the rest of the season - I know that for a fact."

Saha has been troubled by a series of injuries since his £12.8million move to Old Trafford from Fulham in 2004.

He had knee surgery in the summer and has scored four goals so far this season.

Manchester United striker Louis Saha has reiterated that he has never refused to play for the club.

Saha has started just two games in the Premier League this season, having been hampered by a knee injury. It has previously been claimed that the France international has declined to play for United due to a mental block regarding his fitness.

But, explaining his injury troubles, Saha insists that he has always been willing to turn out for the champions when fit.

"At United, I have had an incredible amount of bad luck," said Saha in the Daily Mail. "But that does not explain everything. Playing all the time takes its toll on the body. My game is based on speed, quick movements and changes of direction. It's very demanding for the body.

"For a long time, I had an injury on my left knee. I changed the way I ran and I injured my right knee. But I never refused to play. Everytime I missed a game I was not able to play. For sure, before playing again, I was a bit anxious. Every player feels that. But it did not go further than that.

"People are ill-informed. I had six pieces of cartilage in my knee. Can you say this is psychological?

"Sometimes I would take part in training during the week and feel good and then drop out at the weekend. But you can explain that easily. My knee could support short training exercises, but not the intensity of a game. Should I have played without being 100 per cent fit? That would have been ridiculous."

Manchester United striker Louis Saha is desperate to start Sunday's clash at Liverpool.
"Without doubt, it is the most intense atmosphere for a Manchester United player," he said. "I have played there a few times now but the win we had there last season was amazing. That is one of the greatest feelings I have ever had as a footballer.

"My main memory of last season is that the win at Liverpool kick-started us towards the title. It proved we were strong enough.

"We are going there much earlier in the season this time and there is still a long road ahead. But it does give us a chance to show exactly how good we are."

United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has already stressed total faith in the Frenchman to recover from the long-standing knee problems that have plagued his time at Old Trafford.

"What the manager said is very good for my confidence," he said. "But I put myself under massive pressure all the time and I don't really need anyone else to do that for me. I always work hard and every game is a positive step for me now.

A much-changed Manchester United side earned a draw against Italian giants Roma to protect their unbeaten record in the Champions League this season.

With United already having won Group F and Roma having qualified in second place the game had an eerie start, with the opening 20 minutes dreadfully apathetic.

David Pizarro tried to rid the match of its lethargy by shooting from 25 yards, but Tomasz Kuszczak dived away to his left to make a fairly routine save.

At the other end, United's youthful side fashioned their first opening when Wayne Rooney clipped in a cross from the right and Doni had to be alert to tip over John O'Shea's looping header.

Just after Mauro Esposito missed a golden chance with a close-range header for Roma, United took the lead. The otherwise quiet Nani swung in a corner from the left and Pique sneaked in unchallenged six yards out to plant a header past Doni.

The goal prompted a Roma rally as Mancini raised a shot from close-range on to the bar, Mauro Esposito headed the rebound over and then Mancini saw another effort parried away by Kuszczak.

The game was still being played at not much more than walking pace, but at least chances were being created. United nearly doubled their lead after the interval when Chris Eagles helped another Nani corner goalwards, but a combination of Philippe Mexes and Doni managed to get the ball clear.

Roma brought on Ludovic Giuly and Vucinic to chase the game and after Saha was denied by a fine Doni save, they pulled level. Vucinic slotted the ball through to Mancini on the edge of the box and he neatly came inside and whipped his shot past the despairing dive of Kuszczak. Vucinic was having a stunning impact on proceedings and the Montenegro striker rifled a shot against the foot of the post moments later.

Man Utd: Kuszczak, Simpson, Pique, Evans, O'Shea (Brown 54), Eagles, Fletcher, Carrick, Nani, Saha, Rooney (Dong 71).
Subs Not Used: Heaton, Lee, Hewson, Brandy, Eckersley.

Manchester United overcame Derby's resilience to move within a point of Premier League leaders Arsenal.

Derby's lack of a serious attacking threat was always going to limit their hopes of upsetting the champions. And United's midfield, which included Michael Carrick as a late replacement after Owen Hargreaves was injured in the warm-up, gradually took a grip on the game.

Sir Alex Ferguson's men still had to wait until the 40th minute to take the lead through Giggs' opportunistic strike but they quickly had the game sewn up. After Rooney had hit the post with a cheeky chip, Tevez added a second goal - firing home at the second attempt when Ronaldo's free-kick was not properly cleared.

Derby did not give up and Giles Barnes' shot gave United keeper Edwin van der Sar problems before Claude Davis tried his luck with an acrobatic effort from the resulting corner.

United were still looking dangerous though, and Giggs hit the post with a volley from Wes Brown's cross before Tevez made it 3-0 with a powerful finish.

Howard got on the end of Tyrone Mears' cross to pull a goal back for the Rams but it was United who had the last word. Ronaldo, who was booked for diving against Fulham earlier in the week, tumbled in the area under challenge from Mears and got up to convert the spot-kick for his 14th goal of the season.

Man Utd: Van der Sar, Brown, Ferdinand (O'Shea 71), Vidic, Evra, Ronaldo, Carrick, Anderson (Fletcher 62), Giggs (Saha 64), Rooney, Tevez.
Subs Not Used: Kuszczak, Nani.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice to help Manchester United see off Fulham and move second, closing the gap on Premier League leaders Arsenal to three points.

Ferguson must be grateful that Ronaldo is in such sublime form - he has now notched 13 goals this season and scored in each of his last five games. But the rest of United's strikeforce, including the returning Wayne Rooney, were unable to capitalise on their side's bright start.

Despite the ease of United's victory, they were strangely out of sorts for long periods and their lack of cohesion in the final third will be a concern for boss Sir Alex Ferguson.

Such was the pressure on the visitors' defence a goal looked inevitable and it duly arrived in the 10th minute. Davis only succeeded in heading a Ryan Giggs corner back into the danger zone and Nemanja Vidic headed on for Ronaldo to find the top corner with a sublime volley.

Tevez was unlucky not to extend that lead when he met another Giggs cross but saw his shot hit Niemi, who knew little about it.

But from then on Ferguson's men seemed to lose their way, and they were almost punished. First Murphy forced a fine save from Edwin van der Sar after a neat build-up and then, from the resulting corner, the former Liverpool midfielder curled his shot inches wide.

It took Ronaldo's second goal to lift United out of their lethargy, and it was another clinical finish. Substitute John O'Shea curled in a cross from the left and Ronaldo leapt above Dejan Stefanovic to head home.

That was the cue for United to belatedly rediscover their free-flowing football from earlier in the game. But further goals failed to materialise, with Rooney screwing his shot wide after being fed by Giggs and Louis Saha being denied by another fine Niemi save.

Ronaldo was undoubtedly the star of the show but he was unable to finish the game with a flourish - his final act of note seeing him harshly booked after he raced on to a Giggs pass and fell as he tried to hurdle Niemi. Niemi immediately gestured that there had been no contact and referee Rob Styles showed Ronaldo a yellow card.

Man Utd: Van der Sar, Brown, Ferdinand (Carrick 75), Vidic, Evra (O'Shea 46), Ronaldo, Hargreaves, Anderson, Giggs, Tevez, Rooney (Saha 71).

Subs Not Used: Kuszczak, Fletcher.

Manchester United striker Louis Saha has declared himself fit after a long battle with injuries.

Saha has had several muscular worries since joining United in 2004 but has mainly struggled with a cartilage problem in his knee.

"It has been difficult but I am injury-free now," he said.

"A cartilage problem is always difficult. It seemed a bit dangerous and I was a bit worried at one point because it is never good to play with a swollen knee.

"But I am clear of it now. The manager is doing the right thing and I am trying to forget about it."

"Goals are the main part of the game for any striker and it would really help me if I could get one," he said.

"I am hungry for goals and the good thing about being in this team is that you know we will always create chances."

Kuszczak and flew in at his near post. They could have added a second almost instantly, but Liedson's finish was ruled out for offside - a marginal decision at best.

As United struggled to maintain any attacking rhythm, Sporting were shooting on sight and Anderson Polga shocked Kuszczak with a snap-shot that the keeper held at the second attempt.

United boss Sir Alex Ferguson made a double substitution at half-time, sending on Tevez and Ryan Giggs for Nani and Darren Fletcher.

United did not have long to wait to restore equality, levelling on the hour when Ronaldo's shot was deflected in off a combination of Tevez and Sporting defender Marian Had.

Owen Hargreaves was introduced with 12 minutes left, and he almost scored with only his second touch, forcing another fine save out of the impressive Patricio from Anderson's pass.

But with time running out and United looking like they might need something from their trip to Roma to win their group, Ronaldo fired in a brilliant swerving free-kick to seal the win.

Man Utd: Kuszczak, O'Shea, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Ronaldo, Carrick, Anderson, Fletcher (Tevez 46), Nani (Giggs 46), Saha (Hargreaves 79).
Subs Not Used: Van der Sar, Brown, Pique, Simpson.