MATCH PREVIEW: WOLFSBURG VS MAN UNITED

How to follow the match: Tuesday’s vital Champions League match at the Volkswagen Arena, which kicks off at 19:45 GMT, will be televised in the UK live on BT Sport. You can keep up with all the action in our live match blog or via @ManUtd on Twitter, while MUTV's live matchday programmes will be broadcast at 18:30 and 21:45 GMT, with the game shown in full at 00:00 GMT and at various other times on Wednesday.

Scene-setter: Sitting in second place of Group B, Manchester United will qualify for the knockout stages by matching PSV Eindhoven’s result against CSKA Moscow, while a win for the Reds over Wolfsburg will guarantee top spot. United recorded a fifth goalless draw in nine games on Saturday against West Ham United but may well need to score on Tuesday to ensure a safe passage through to the next round.  

Form guide: Louis van Gaal’s men were unable to capitalise in the Barclays Premier League on Saturday, after rivals Manchester City lost 2-0 at Stoke City earlier in the day. The Reds have been solid and consistent at the back, conceding only three goals in the last 10 fixtures in all competitions. Wolfsburg, who are fifth in the Bundesliga, equalised in the 90th minute against Borussia Dortmund on Saturday, only to concede moments later to ex-Red Shinji Kagawa. The 2-1 defeat ended their record-equalling 29-game unbeaten home run in the league, stretching back to 8 March 2014. As was the case before they visited Old Trafford in September, Wolfsburg head into this match without a win in two Bundesliga outings, after also drawing 0-0 away to Augsburg. 

Latest team news: Morgan Schneiderlin, who was forced off during the game against West Ham with a hip problem, has been added to the growing list of injured United players that includes Wayne Rooney, Marcos Rojo, Phil Jones, Ander Herrera, Antonio Valencia and Luke Shaw. Nick Powell, Cameron-Borthwick Jackson, Guillermo Varela and Sean Goss were all named in a 19-man squad that flew to Germany on Monday morning. For Wolfsburg, Dante will be available after serving a suspension, but Luiz Gustavo and Ricardo Rodriguez are doubtful through injury, while the game may come too soon for Robin Knoche.

View from the dressing room: “It's likely that we'll need to win in order to reach the next stage. We all know how tough it is to play against German teams at their stadiums, but we believe that we can get our ticket to the next round of the Champions League.” – Juan Mata

Trivia: Michael Owen scored his only United hat-trick on the Reds’ sole previous trip Wolfsburg, securing a 3-1 triumph in December 2009. Indeed, United have won all three previous meetings with the Wolves, having also recorded 2-1 home victories in 2009/10 and earlier this season.

Danger man: Wolfsburg’s top scorer this season is rangy Netherlands international forward Bas Dost, whose nine goals include one in the 2-0 Champions League home win over PSV Eindhoven in October. An old-fashioned goal poacher, Dost’s attitude has been criticised by manager Dieter Hecking this season but he remains a potent threat. Left on the bench for Wolfsburg’s game against Dortmund at the weekend, he came on at half-time with his side 1-0 down but was unable to prevent the defeat.

Referee: The last United game Milorad Mazic officiated was the 1-0 home win over Shahktar Donestsk in December 2013. In his two Champions League matches so far this season, the Serbian has issued 13 yellow cards and one red.

Rivals watch: In the other Group B clash, CSKA Moscow cannot qualify for the knockout stages but still have a Europa League place to fight for away at PSV Eindhoven. Manchester City, who have already qualified, are at home to Borussia Monchengladbach on Tuesday while, on Wednesday, Arsenal need to win away at Olympiacos and Chelsea will be looking to finish top of Group G when they host Porto.