Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson wants his team to play for pride when they take on VfB Stuttgart in the Champions League at Old Trafford on Tuesday.

Both teams have qualified for the knock-out stages of the competition but a win for United would allow them to top Group E and avoid meeting another group winner in the last 16.

Ferguson, who confirmed that England international Paul Scholes will start his first game since October 22 following injury, does not know how much of advantage that will be.

But he is determined to reverse their 2-1 defeat in Stuttgart earlier in the qualifying stage.

"Looking at the (other) groups right now, I couldn't tell you who's going to go through," Ferguson told a news conference on Monday.

"It's difficult to say. First or second might not even matter in some of the groups.

"Why I would like to win the game is because our home record is so good at Old Trafford in the last few years and I want to maintain that.

"It's essential that the pride factor shows itself in games like this."

The English champions are unbeaten in their last 15 Champions League games at Old Trafford, winning 12 of them.

United winger Ryan Giggs said: "It gives players confidence, winning the group. Every team that goes through will be a quality team so it may not matter who tops the group,

"But it matters to us and to the fans. And we want to maintain that record."

Scholes made his return from groin surgery as a substitute in United's premier league win over Aston Villa.

United may need all their attacking options against a Stuttgart side that has conceded just three league goals all season in the Bundesliga, which they top.

"They are in a good position. We have to win the match and they will be hard to break down," Ferguson said. "We can't afford to go behind because it will be difficult to peg them back."