Ajax coach Frank de Boer said that his team have the ability to beat Manchester United and will have to be at their best to do so in their Europa League match.
"Hopefully we can play with our philosophy and try to press the opponents in their own half and try to create chances of course," De Boer said. "Technically we are very capable to do that and when we are capable to do that I think we can beat everybody almost."
Ajax host Alex Ferguson's team in their round of 32 first leg game, the first match Manchester United have played a European match outside the Champions League for the first time since 1995.
United, who have reached the Champions League final three times in the past four seasons, failed to advance past the group stage this season after dropping vital points drawing and losing to Basel.
They played a UEFA Cup tie against Rotor Volgograd of Russia in 1995-96 when they were beaten on away goals in the first round.
Since then they have had 16 successive seasons in the Champions League and were European champions in 1999 and 2008 as well as losing finalists in 2009 and last season.
It is a record which leaves De Boer in admiration for Ferguson.
"He's a fantastic manager, a gentleman always," De Boer added. "If you already are 20 years, more than 20 years at a club it's unbelievable; you've never seen it.
"Always real perform, he always has to manage that. Another great team, battles for the Championships and for me he is one of the best coaches this last decade.
De Boer also commented on Luis Suarez not shaking Manchester United defender Patrice Evra's hand on Saturday (February 11), saying it was a mistake by the former Ajax striker.
"I cannot comment on that, but outside the pitch he's a fantastic player and person so for the rest I cannot tell much about it," De Boer said. "But he's a winner and does everything for that, that I know.
"I don't think it was very smart that he didn't shake the hand of Evra because it puts only more attention to everything."
Although United and Ajax, who have also dropped into the Europa League, are among the elite European clubs lifting the European Cup seven times between them, they have met only twice before.
Those meetings came in a UEFA Cup first round tie in 1975-76 which United won 2-1 on aggregate after Ajax had won 1-0 in Amsterdam with a Ruud Krol goal. United won 2-0 at Old Trafford with Lou Macari and Sammy McIlroy scoring.
Reuters