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Barca return to haunt Reds as ref denies United glory

Manchester United 3
Barcelona 3
by David Anderson
WHEN Manchester United were thumped 4-0 by Barcelona in their last meeting in 1994 they were beaten by Romario, but last night their bogeyman was Italian referee Stefano Braschi.
The match official denied United a deserved victory in their opening Champions' League clash at Old Trafford when he awarded Barcelona two penalties — the first of which was questionable.
Braschi sent off Nicky Butt for handling the ball for the second spot-kick while he also failed to give Ryan Giggs any protection as he received a battering from Spanish international Luis Enrique.
United, though, will know in their hearts that they also let themselves down after they had been in the driving seat when they led 2-0 at half-time.
David Beckham and Giggs ran riot as United's first-half performance evoked memories of their epic 3-2 triumph of Juventus last year.
Ferguson has asked the United fans to play their part too and they answered his rallying call by creating a deafening din.
United were playing in their white away kit, but there was no mistaking which side was at home.
United knew realistically they needed to win Group D — the so-called Group of Death — to qualify and cheered on by their fans they went straight for Barcelona's jugular.
In the 10th minute United were denied by the woodwork after Dutch international Michael Reiziger blundered.
He gave the ball away to Beckham, who released Giggs on the left and when the Welshman centred Ole Gunnar Solskjaer shot against the bar.
United, though, did not have much longer to wait for the breakthrough and in the 16th minute they scored.
Once again the superb Beckham and Giggs were the men responsible.
Beckham skinned Sergi down the right before sending over a terrific ball which Giggs headed past Ruud Hesp.
Barcelona were creaking under United's relentless tide and Roy Keane drove the ball at Hesp after Braschi had ignored a blatant handball.
Again, though, that was only postponing the inevitable and on 24 minutes United scored their second.
Beckham sent over another fine delivery from the right for Dwight Yorke to connect with an overhead kick, which was saved by Hesp, but Paul Scholes tucked home the rebound.
This was the signal for United's fans to taunt Patrick Kluivert, who turned down a move to the club in the summer.
But the Dutchman just smiled at their jibes as he sat in the Old Trafford directors box sucking on a lollipop.
Barcelona thought they had pulled a goal back after 32 minutes when Luis Figo deflected Boudewijn Zenden's shot past Schmeichel, but the Barcelona captain was offside.
Schmeichel denied the Spanish champions a lifeline with a point-blank save from Sonny Anderson at the back post two minutes before half-time.
At the end of the half Solskjaer turned and fired just over from Yorke's pass.
Barcelona hauled themselves back into the match two minutes after the interval when Rivaldo ran at the flat-footed United defence and when he was stopped the ball broke to Anderson, who fired home for the Catalan giants.
These were worrying times for United as Rivaldo began to cut loose and they responded by bringing on the tigerish Butt for Solskjaer.
But after 58 minutes Barcelona levelled through a controversial penalty when Stam was adjudged to have felled Rivaldo from Luis Enrique's pass.
Rivaldo limped away to round off his act before fellow Brazilian Giovanni slotted home the spot-kick.
Five minutes later Beckham restored United's lead when he curled home a beautiful 25-yard free-kick into the top corner, which was a carbon copy of his World Cup goal against Colombia, after Yorke had been fouled.
Back, though, came Barcelona and Luis Enrique beat Henning Berg and Butt on the right before picking out Anderson, who headed against the woodwork. From the ensuing scramble Butt was deemed to have handled on the line for a penalty and he was sent off as Luis Enrique tucked home Barcelona's spot kick 20 minutes from the final.
United's 10 men now tried to hang onto their point and they spent the remainder of the game keeping Barcelona at bay.
In the end a point won, but United will feel it was two lost.
MANCHESTER UNITED: Schmeichel, G. Neville, Irwin (P. Neville 79), Stam, Beckham, Giggs (Blomqvist 84), Keane, Scholes, Yorke, Solskjaer (Butt 55), Berg.
BARCELONA: Hesp, Reiziger, Abelardo, Figo, Anderson, Giovanni (Xavi 68), Rivaldo, Sergi, Cocu, Luis Enrique, Zenden.

Gunners misfire, but
still manage a point

Lens 1
Arsenal 1
by Bill Pierce
ARSENAL paid for a pile of missed chances as Lens striker Tony Vairelles forced home an injury-time equaliser to deny the Gunners an opening Champions' League victory in northern France.
And the biggest culprits were Highbury strikers Dennis Bergkamp and Nicolas Anelka who could have finished with a hat-trick apiece.
Non-flying Dutchman Bergkamp, still to hit the target this season, let the train take the strain on his cross-Channel trip.
But after his finishing went off the rails it was his Holland teammate Marc Overmars who became the Gunners' Eurostar with a 51st-minute goal.
Bergkamp fired wide and then straight at goalkeeper Guillaume Warmuz when perfectly set up by Anelka and Patrick Vieira early in the second half.
And it took Overmars to finally show Bergkamp the way when he tucked the ball neatly under Warmuz for his third goal of the season to finally make the breakthrough.
Arsenal looked like settling gladly for their famous old 1-0 scoreline following mighty scare when Lens full-back Eric Sikora crashed a 25-yard freekick against the crossbar with 20 minutes left.
But they failed to heed the lesson and Anelka became the waster-in-chief with a trio of opportunities to turn narrow victory into a runaway train.
First he put his shot too close to the keeper when perfectly set up by Ray Parlour. Then he blazed over from Vieira's defence-splitting pass before hesitating fatally over another glaring opening.
There was yet another warning when Sikora lined up a long-range freekick after Vieira had been booked for a foul and Bergkamp had been replaced by defender Remi Garde. Goalkeeper David Seaman kept it out with a desperate dive.
But Seaman was helpless when Vladimir Smicer's corner was flicked on at the near post with the game deep in injury-time and Vairelles belligerently stabbed it home from inside the six-yard box.
Overmars, after getting little change on the wing from Xavier Meride, had switched to the middle early in the second half and after putting Arsenal ahead he hit both a post and the crossbar with thrilling solo efforts.
But the Gunners lack of firepower this season again surfaced to haunt manager Arsene Wenger. Apart from the 3-0 Charity Shield romp against Manchester United, they have now scored only four goals in five Premiership games this season.
And in the Felix Bollaert Stadium they paid a big price for their failings in front of goal. Now Wenger will want to see a dramatic improvement in the next two Champions' League games — both at 'home' at Wembley against Greek side Panathinaikos and Ukrainian champions Dynamo Kiev.
Arsenal should have romped home in Wenger's native France even though Lens, who won their first-ever League title on goal difference last season, had the edge on possession in the first half.
Their aggressive attack extended the elderly Arsenal defence on several occasions.
Skipper Tony Adams twice risked a yellow card, clattering into the back of big striker Pascal Nouma, and Lee Dixon had no margin for error when hacking clear to deny Stephane Delmat who burst into the penalty area in the opening minute to meet Smicer's neat lay-off.
Lens often committed three and sometimes four men to attack and it produced inevitable opportunities. Newly-capped French striker Vairelles tested Seaman's reactions with a fierce cross-shot and then stabbed wide after eluding both Martin Keown and Emmanuel Petit on the edge of the box.
But Arsenal promised consistently on the counter — without actually delivering.
Bergkamp chipped an angled shot over after cleverly losing his marker and then in the 16th minute produced a peach of a through-pass that sent Anelka galloping through only to be foiled by Warmuz's brave dive at the striker's feet.
The Dutchman's finishing was still awry in the second half, though, when after a glorious link-up with Anelka he blasted wide.
Bergkamp was foiled again by Warmuz when Vieira's penetrating run set him up with a clear opportunity inside the box.
Overmars' slick strike looked like being the only goal and with a minute of normal time left Wenger replaced Bergkamp with Garde, having already taken off World Cup star Petit and sent on Stephen Hughes.
But Vairelles' strike left Arsenal looking back in anger on a glut of missed opportunities.
LENS: Warmuz, Sikora, Etchi Oben (Sankhare 79), Debeve, Delmat, Nyarko, Vairelles, Dehu, Smicer, Nouma (Moreira 68), Meride (Rool 75).
ARSENAL: Seaman, Dixon, Keown, Adams, Winterburn, Parlour, Vieira, Petit (Hughes 73), Overmars, Bergkamp (Garde 89), Anelka. 

Champions Real get
off to winning start

REAL MADRID capitalised on a wretched performance from Inter Milan to record a comfortable 2-0 victory in the Champions' League group C.
A 79th-minute penalty from Fernando Hierro set the European Cup holders on their way, with Dutchman Clarence Seedorf wrapping up the win with an injury-time strike.
Real had had a numerical advantage from the 42nd minute, when Salvatore Fresi was sent off for a second bookable offence. But in truth they dominated from the start of a game in which Brazilian striker Ronaldo was anonymous and Inter in general failed to threaten.
The "home" side made an explosive start to the game, immediately pressing down the left side where Brazilian pair Roberto Carlos and Savio were too strong and quick for the Inter defence.
And Savio's pace brought a booking for Aron Winter within three minutes, the Dutchman dragging his opponent down as he embarked upon one of his meandering runs.
That gave Roberto Carlos an early chance from 25 metres but the free-kick specialist skied the ball over the bar. Savio then muscled his way into the penalty area but his final shot was weak and wide.
Two corners then produced fines saves from Gianluca Pagliuca, as the Italian keeper first tipped over from Christian Panucci and then held well from Hierro.
But still Madrid's travelling fans were only given reason to cheer by the early goal updates from Manchester United's game against Barcelona.
And Inter were slowly coming back into the game as Diego Simeone attempted to break the Real stranglehold in midfield. The Argentine finally managed to put Ronaldo through on the left and the Brazilian produced a measured cross, only for Ivan Zamorano to misdirect his header.
But any hopes Inter had of imposing their will on the game were ended by two Fresi fouls in the space of three minutes. Fresi brought down Raul, powering through on the right, and then Savio on the left and Scottish referee Hugh Dallas had no choice but to book him each time.
Inter were forced into desperate defence in the second half as Seedorf made a series of forceful runs.
From one Morientes was presented with a golden chance but he could only volley over the bar from close-range.
The goal finally came from one of Savio's forays into the Milan area, his jinking skills again producing a mistake and a clear penalty.
Hierro drove home emphatically and there was no way back for an Inter side that had already substituted Ronaldo in exchange for another defender.
They did attempt to press forward, though, leaving a gap through the middle which Seedorf exploited after being put through by Pedrag Mijatovic.
That sewed up the points for Real and left Inter with a lot to do if they are to qualify for the knock-out stage.

Tiatto puts City in driving seat

Derby 1
Manchester City 1
DANNY TIATTO'S first goal for Manchester City left Derby facing the prospect of another early exit from the Worthington Cup.
The Rams, unbeaten in the Premiership this season, went out of this competition at the same second-round stage to lowly Luton two years ago.
Last night, Tiatto's equaliser after 27 minutes — after Rory Delap's early opener — gave the Blues the draw their gutsy Pride Park performance merited.
City had to hang on for the final 13 minutes with just 10 men, after their captain, Jamie Pollock, in his first game back from suspension, was sent off. Pollock, who was dismissed at Notts County on August 29, was shown the red card by referee Alan Wilkie, after an off-the-ball incident involving Francesco Baiano, which left the Italian writhing on the ground clutching his face.
The Chester-le-Street official missed the incident, but his assistant referee did not, which resulted in Pollock receiving his marching orders.
Tiatto's precious goal for his new club came after Pollock's free kick was only half-cleared. The City debutant, with acres of space 20 yards out, curled the ball with the outside of his left foot beyond Mart Poom, who was making his first appearance of the season.
That strike cancelled out Delap's ninth-minute opener, the Irish wingback getting his name on the scoresheet for the first time since joining from Carlisle in February.
Trevor Benjamin ensured Sheffield Wednesday's campaign got off to a nightmare start at Hillsborough last night, as the Owls lost 1-0 at home to Third Division Cambridge.
Only three minutes into the second round, first-leg clash in South Yorkshire, Wednesday keeper, Kevin Pressman, made a mess of controlling Argentinian right-back Juan Cobian's backpass. That allowed 19-year-old midfielder, Benjamin, who came through the youth ranks at the Abbey Stadium, to slide in and dispossess Pressman before walking the ball into an empty net.
More dismay on a miserable night for the Premiership club was the paltry attendance of just 9,000 at Hillsborough.
Paul Gascoigne endured a disappointing first game as captain of Middlesbrough in the absence of the injured Andy Townsend.
Colombian international, Hamilton Ricard, scored his fourth goal of the campaign, but, Boro could do no better than win 2-0 against Second Division Wycombe. Gianluca Festa scored the second in the last minute.
Emile Heskey scored twice as 1997 Cup winners, Leicester, made Premiership class tell against East Midlands rivals, Chesterfield, with a 3-0 win at Filbert Street.
The England Under-21 striker volleyed home Robbie Savage's cross just before half-time and grabbed his second six minutes after the interval from Steve Guppy's pass.
Northern Ireland centre-half, Gerry Taggart, added the third goal 10 minutes later in his first start of the season.
Jamaican international, Paul Hall, scored his first goal since his transfer from Portsmouth, as Coventry struggled to beat Third Division Southend 1-0 at Highfield Road.
An own goal on the stroke of half-time by QPR goalkeeper, Lee Harper, helped Charlton stroll to a 2-0 win in the London derby at Loftus Road. Shaun Newton scored the opener for the Premiership newcomers.
In the only all-First Division tie of the night, Bristol City could only force a 1-1 draw with Crewe. Ade Akinbiyi opened the scoring for City but Mark Rivers equalised for the visitors.
Another own goal, this time from Carl Bradshaw against his old club, gave Norwich a 1-0 win against Wigan at Carrow Road.
The Worthington Cup, Second Round, First Leg: Bristol City 1 Crewe 1; Coventry 1 Southend 0; Derby 1 Man City 1; Leicester 3 Chesterfield 0; Middlesbrough 2 Wycombe 0; Norwich 1 Wigan 0; QPR 0 Charlton 2; Sheff Wed 0 Cambridge Utd 1

Fowler ready to be
Owen's ideal partner

by Paul Walker
ROBBIE Fowler is about to launch the deadliest strike-force in the land on the rest of the Premiership and destroy the myth that he can't play alongside Michael Owen.
The theory that the two Liverpool strikers are too similar was scuppered inside 26 seconds in Slovakia on Tuesday night.
That is all it took super-sub Fowler to prove his point and make a goal for teenager Owen, the youngster who took centre stage and the World Cup Finals by storm after his club-mate was sidelined from February onwards with cruciate knee damage.
Deep into central Europe, Fowler at last got his first taste of senior team action since the injury in the derby with Everton after a collision with Thomas Myhre.
Liverpool were already two up and cruising in the UEFA Cup first-round, first-leg tie with Slovak champions Kosice.
But with Karlheinz Riedle suffering from a groin strain Fowler was at last plunged back into action after 58 minutes.
His first touch, a killer pass, sent Owen scampering through the disheartened Kosice defence — who had done their best to kick Owen into submission — to stroke home the final goal.
Fowler can make goals as well as score them, and he is anxious that people do not forget that.
"Sometimes people forget that side of my play. I have always brought other players into the game," he said.
"Let's say our partnership will be interesting. Michael is playing very well, and I have always had confidence in my ability to score goals."
"The result gives us a major advantage for the home leg, and it's always good to take a good lead back to our own fans.
Now Fowler is back and buzzing and pushing co-managers Roy Evans and Gerard Houllier to play him in Saturday's home Premiership game with Charlton. If Riedle does not recover from his injury in time, Fowler could well get his wish.
It will give Liverpool a mouthwatering attacking elite of Steve McManaman, Jamie Redknapp — who was outstanding against Kosice — Fowler and Owen.
"People have said to me that you can come back from injuries a better player, and that could be right," Fowler said. "I feel strong and sharp, and the long-term injury might have focused me even more."
Fowler has worked throughout the summer to get himself back into action two months before the predicted date.
"When you have been through what I have been through over the past few months it is just good to be back involved again.
"I have worked really hard and have missed playing. I am desperate to be back and desperate just to enjoy it again."
Fowler's final nail in Kosice's coffin virtually ends their European dream and sets Liverpool up for the second leg in a fortnight.
The joint managers are not 100% sure whether they will risk him for a full 90 minutes this weekend, though, even if Riedle is ruled out.
At this early stage in the German's recovery rate, Evans said: "Even if Karlheinz is out we would have to decide whether or not to risk Robbie — but obviously we are very happy for him.
"The only thing that would have bettered his comeback would have been a goal for himself in those last minutes.
"He has worked so hard. Now it is down to him to pick up the sharpness he will need to face top-level opposition. He'll get that bit by bit."

Shearer pledges loyalty to Toon

by Steven Baker and
Ian Rodgers
ALAN SHEARER yesterday reaffirmed his future to Newcastle after heart-to-heart talks with manager Ruud Gullit.
Aston Villa had been linked with a swoop for the £15million England skipper after Gullit revealed he would be prepared to leave the striker out of the side if it suited either the club or the player.
The Independent Newcastle United Supporters' Association pleaded for Shearer to make it clear he was staying at St James' Park — and yesterday he did just that.
In a statement, he said: ''If I comment on speculation every time it is written I would be in the press all the time and I would rather concentrate on preparing for my football.
''However, because the fans have specifically asked, I can say that I've spoken with the chairman (Freddy Shepherd) and the manager and they have told me that they see me as an important part of Newcastle's future.
''The manager feels that my strength is scoring goals but he realises that I am the type of striker who needs service.
''I am sure that the club's ambition matches mine and the fans and I have no doubt that the manager came here to win things, just as I did.''
INUSA secretary John Regan believes Shearer's comments will be a huge boost to the Magpies.
''What he said will be welcomed by fans because Shearer is our biggest asset and you don't win trophies by selling your biggest assets,'' he said.
''Personally, I was in two minds over whether he should go or leave because he hasn't looked the player he was, though the team was so bad last year, it was difficult to assess what he was capable of doing.
''But against Southampton on Saturday he looked back to his best. He looked sharp and there's nobody who can match Shearer when he's on form.
''Some fans have been questioning Shearer since he came back but Saturday's performance reassured a lot of fans.
Shearer's brace in the 4-0 defeat of the sorry Saints at the weekend ended the hitman's nine-game Premiership goal drought.
They gave Gullit his first win as manager and Regan added: ''Even if he was to leave Newcastle, I'd put my mortgage that he wouldn't go to Aston Villa — he'd go to a much bigger club.
''Shearer is a lovely lad. He knows what the fans want, his family is in the area — what could be simpler? All we need now is to win trophies.''
Regan added: ''I just hope that now he's released the statement, we can get back to football issues on the field.''
Gullit was delighted by the news that Shearer had reaffirmed he commitment to the club.
But as far as Gullit was concerned the matter had already been dealt with at the weekend when he publicly backed the striker.
Gullit said: ''It was already at an end when I said it last Saturday but I have the feeling people were thinking on behalf of me or something like that.''
And the Dutchman admitted that he will be delving into the transfer market before too long.
"People try to make this thing go on but people may only analyse what happens today and must not think only of themselves.
"They try to create conflict but the conflict is out of the way now.
''I think that is good for Alan and it is good for the club itself."
Gullit added that he believed tonight's European Cup Winners' Cup first round first leg against Partisan Belgrade was of less importance than the premiership.
''I will give more priority to the Premier League because there are still going to be some changes,'' Gullit said.
''And until I have done that, it is all about dealing with what you have. So we will all try to make the best of it but the priority for us is to get the team right for next year.''
But Gullit insisted he was still looking for a good performance and victory over the Euro opponents and a possible lucrative run in the tournament.
''Any win will do but it is important to have a clean sheet as well in Europe,'' Gullit said.

Villa's bold young strike star told:
it's up to you, new Yorke

by John Curtis
ASTON VILLA'S UEFA Cup saviour Darius Vassell has set his sights on becoming the new Dwight Yorke after his two goal blast against Norwegian part-timers Stromsgodset gave the club a European life-line on Tuesday.
England Under-18 international Vassell admitted that former Villa goal hero Yorke was a massive influence on him before his £12 million move to Manchester United last month.
Vassell has already showed his striking prowess at youth level when he smashed the club's goal-scoring record for a season with 38 last season — plus one past England 'keeper Tim Flowers in a reserve outing against Blackburn.
Then he marked his Under-18 debut by scoring twice in England's 5-0 success over the Republic of Ireland in Dublin last week before his double against Stromsgodset earned Villa a 3-2 win after they had trailed 2-0.
Vassell said: ''I picked up so much from watching Dwight Yorke on the training ground and in matches and he can do so many things that other players can't do.
''He's so different to other players and I am hoping some of that comes through into my game. Dwight was also always asking how my game was coming along and giving tips. He was tremendous to me.
''I was disappointed to see him leave and I try and model myself on players like him and Andy Cole. Andy has always tried to make chances while Dwight has that vision.
''Dwight covers a large area of the pitch to make things happen and Andy specialises in that 'killer' role inside the penalty area. If I can get both elements into my game, I won't go wrong!''
Vassell can certainly not be accused of lacking in self belief and claimed: ''I'm not fazed by things. I'm there to do a job and the manager (John Gregory) has given me loads of confidence by involving me with the first team.
''I don't want to go overboard at this stage but you have to set goals otherwise you never achieve anything — and I want to be a regular in the first team while I'm a teenager.
''The manager has told me that I can go a long way if I keep doing what I have been doing so far. My view is that if I keep playing well I will get in — no matter who Villa buy.
''There are a lot of good, young players around in this country making an impact and I hope it is possible for me to do something at Villa.''
Vassell admitted: ''When I came on against Stromsgodset, the situation was looking rather dodgy. I was told to get myself into the danger area and to try and get some shots in.
''I'd had a little feeling before I went on that I would do something even though there wasn't much time left and what happened has left me feeling on top of the world.''
Gregory insisted that Vassell is still not the finished article. He said: ''He's scored a lot of goals at youth team level and is a natural goalscorer.
''But he's not ready yet. He's progressing which is the most important thing but he's got a long way to go. However, I do know he has got a lot of talent there.''
The repercussions of a first round exit would be disastrous, not only financially but if Gregory realistically has hopes of landing top players like Alan Shearer.
But now he is backing Villa to see off the brave challenge of the Norwegians who have opted to hold the second leg in their small Marienlyst Stadium rather than switch to the national stadium 35 kilometres away in Oslo.

Laudrup unhappy with
Chelsea merry-go-round

by Phil Casey
BRIAN LAUDRUP yesterday reopened the wounds caused by Chelsea's squad rotation system just 24 hours before the opening game in their defence of the European Cup Winners' Cup.
The Danish star has made just one start for Chelsea this season and only came on as an 89th-minute substitute during the 2-1 win over Nottingham Forest at the weekend. And after only five weeks at the club, Laudrup, signed on a free transfer from Rangers this summer, has already made his feelings of frustration known to player-manager Gianluca Vialli.
Vialli has the difficult task of keeping Gianfranco Zola, Pierluigi Casiraghi, Tore Andre Flo, himself and Laudrup happy while telling them nobody's place in the starting line-up is secure.
Ironically, it is a problem that the Blues boss was on the receiving end of himself when predecessor Ruud Gullit was coach.
"I have been to a meeting with Vialli and the other forwards at the club," Laudrup said on the eve of Chelsea's clash with Helsingborgs at Stamford Bridge.
"Vialli said that he regards us all as stars and that we actually each of us should play every single time, but he would not give any guarantees to any of us.
"His message was that none of us can feel secure of a spot in the starting line-up and of course that's a new situation for me that I have to get used to.
"I didn't like the same system at AC Milan and the big danger is that some players might never find the right rhythm."
Chelsea have so far this season failed to find the impressive rhythm that took them to two cup triumphs last year and have struggled to reproduce their cup form in the Premier League.
Laudrup puts that down to a lack of playing time for the team to gel together and is desperate to get as much match practice as possible to prove his worth to the faithful Stamford Bridge supporters.
"I need all the playing time that I can possibly get right now because it was a big problem in my league debut that my team-mates didn't know me and I didn't know them," the Dane explained.
"I was criticised for my debut but please notice I played in a strange role in right midfield which is not my favourite space at all.
"I think that Vialli has already seen that the best space for me is as the free runner behind the forwards like I played for Rangers and Denmark. Physically I am fit but I lack a bit in timing and only playing big matches will help me now."
Vialli at least has an almost full squad to choose from for tonight's game with only Dan Petrescu missing through suspension.
Club captain Dennis Wise is available again after his three-match ban for his dismissal against Atletico Madrid in a pre-season tournament in Holland.
And the fiery midfielder is determined to prove he has learnt his lesson after another lengthy spell on the sidelines.
"I know I have to keep cool especially in Europe," Wise said.
"I have sat out for a while and I'm fed up with it and I know what I have to do. I won't be getting sent off for a while."
Time will tell whether that is tempting fate but Wise remains focused on the task at hand, namely beating Swedish part-timers Helsingborg tonight.
And the former England midfielder knows nothing can be taken for granted against a side which two years ago knocked out Aston Villa on away goals and who are currently fourth in their League, which finishes in October.
"They will be happy with a 0-0 draw and we can't underestimate them," Wise added.
"Swedish sides have improved as England found out.
"We have to make sure we're aware of the danger and that we're alive at the back.
"They're not going to give much away and play with five in midfield and one up front and it's up to us to deal with that."

Celtic squad quickly brought
back down to earth

by Bryn Palmer
IT didn't take long to bring a victorious Celtic squad back down to earth.
After scaling the heights to record an unlikely UEFA Cup victory in Portugal, the Scottish champions were grounded in their attempts to recharge the batteries quickly ahead of an impending domestic engagement.
With the first Old Firm meeting of the season awaiting them at Ibrox on Sunday, a five-hour delay on their return journey from Porto was an enforced rest the Parkhead squad could have done without, especially after their energy-sapping display in the D'Afonso Henriques Stadium on Tuesday night.
But the sense of a job well done was unmistakable after goals from Henrik Larsson and Simon Donnelly, had secured a 2-1 first leg advantage over Vitoria Guimaraes.
If Larsson's opener was the perfect antidote to the bonus disputes and resentment that have dominated events at Parkhead in recent weeks, it also gave Celtic a timely reminder of their European pedigree.
Despite enduring periods of intense pressure from the Portuguese, Dr Jozef Venglos' side kept their shape and composure superbly in sharp contrast to their dismal Champions League qualifying exit in Zagreb just three weeks ago.
"I think that is the way forward for us, to play away from home," said Scotland midfielder Craig Burley afterwards.
"We would have settled for a draw beforehand to be honest but they left us a lot of space to play in, and I thought we used it well. If they play like that in the return I think we'll be confident of scoring one or two more, but I am just delighted after all that has been going on over the last few weeks.
"We haven't been playing well and it has been as disappointing from the players' point of view just as much as it has for the fans and everyone else.
"But hopefully this will give us the lift we needed to get back to where we were last year."
With an improving Rangers next up, the tonic of a European victory away from home against respective opposition should instil some much needed confidence into the Parkhead ranks.
But fellow midfielder Phil O'Donnell, who made an impact with the cross for Larsson's opener, won't be resting on his laurels.
The former Motherwell player slotted in comfortably after replacing the injured Regi Blinker on the left flank, and despite another vacancy opening up with Paul Lambert's suspension on Sunday, he won't be taking anything for granted.
"It is good to go into the Rangers' game after a good result like that, especially away from home.
"But form doesn't come into it in Old Firm games, the team who has got the biggest appetite for the game on the day will be the one that wins.
"I just need to keep my head down and take my chances when they come along, and hopefully I will be involved in some stage on Sunday."

© Examiner Publications Ltd, 1998