And in a high-profile cameo, Real Madrid midfielder Mahamadou Diarra's return to Lyon should ensure a hostile reception awaits him.

In other matches AC Milan continue their fortuitous progress in this season's competition by entertaining AEK Athens while strugglers Arsenal and Hamburg clash in Germany, with both sides yet to register a league victory this season.

But all eyes will be on Old Trafford and the first-ever competitive fixture between the eight-time English Premiership champions and the Glasgow giants.

And United manager Sir Alex Ferguson will be delighted to be able to call upon Wayne Rooney and Paul Scholes again after the pair were suspended for the last three league games.

Rooney will be biting at the bit after also missing two England games following his World Cup dismissal against Portugal.

But more importantly, Ferguson is looking for a reaction from his players after they finished bottom of their relatively easy-looking group a year ago.

"Look back at last year. We got off to a good start with a draw at Villarreal with 10 men and we thought: 'that's us off'," said Ferguson.

"But we didn't score enough goals. We never scored against Lille or Villarreal, that's four games we didn't score in. It'll be different this year, I assure you."

In fact, United scored just three goals in their six games as they won just once and Fergie says the players are determiend to set the record straight.

"Nobody likes bad memories," he said. "But in football terms, good footballers don't want that to happen again and aim to improve on it. They should want that, particularly the younger players."

Real Madrid face a return to the Stade Gerland where last season they lost their opening group stage match 3-0.

It's a new Madrid this time around, though, with Fabio Capello at the helm and a host of top quality defensive signings bolstering the area where Real have most suffered recently, as well as the addition of goal-machine Ruud van Nistelrooy.

But Lyon will be doubly determined to show Diarra that they can be just as strong without him.

Having reached the quarter-finals the last three seasons and topped their group ahead of Real last time out, Lyon have every reason to feel confident going into this fixture.

Meanwhile, Arsenal tackle Hamburg with both sides hovering in the lower reaches of their domestic leagues and with the Londoners trying to avoid thinking about the distraction of a trip to Manchester United at the weekend.

Manager Arsene Wenger admitted it has been a difficult start for the Gunners, but he is trying to keep his team focussed on their Champions League campaign, especially after last season's dream run to the final.

"Let's focus on Europe. If we get a good result in Hamburg we'll go in good condition to Man Utd," Wenger said.

"I can't say that I am unconcerned by our start to the season. We are lacking a bit of sharpness because half the team has been away for the whole summer playing football."

AC Milan, who many people feel should not even be in the competition having been found guilty of match-fixing, start with a visit from AEK Athens.

Milan have started their season well as they bid to overturn an eight-point penalty in the race for the title, beating Lazio 2-1 on Sunday, having also ousted Red Star Belgrade in the Champions League third qualifying round.

In other games, Portuguese pair Porto and Benfica will be trying to put aside the uncertainty surrounding their future participation in this season's competition.

A domestic row involving Gil Vicente has been taken to the civil courts, thus breaking FIFA rules, which has resulted in world football's governing body threatening Portugal with suspension from international competitions.

Porto host CSKA Moscow, the 2005 UEFA Cup winners, while Benfica travel to FC Copenhagen, although if the Portuguese FA do not sort out the Vicente problem, those could be the two giants' only forrays in Europe this season.

Unfashionable French outfit Lille travel to Anderlecht as they look to try to go one better than last year and make it to the knock-out stages.

Lille finished third in their group a year ago and had to settle for a place in the UEFA Cup, thus denying that consolation to Manchester United.

In the last game of the night Dynamo Kiev host Steaua Bucharest.

Fixtures
Group E
Dynamo Kiev v Steaua
Bucuresti
Lyon v Real Madrid
Group F
FC Copenhagen v Benfica
Manchester Utd v Celtic
Group G
FC Porto v CSKA Moscow
Hamburg SV v Arsenal
Group H
AC Milan v AEK Athens
Anderlecht v Lille