A trip to Japan just before the busiest time of the Premier League season would probably not be on Alex Ferguson's ideal itinerary, but there will never be a better chance for Manchester United to become world champions again.
United, which beat Palmeiras in 1999 to become the only British winner of the Club World Cup in any of its past or present incarnations, arrives in Tokyo on Monday to face a tournament lineup looking light on serious contenders.
European teams are always favored going into the event, but Liverpool and Barcelona have found out in recent years that the determination of South American sides is not to be underestimated.