Shakhtar Donetsk coach Mircea Lucescu believes it is unfair to compare the Manchester United “winning machine” he encountered in 1999 to the one he will face at the Donbass Arena on Wednesday night.

Lucescu was in charge of Inter Milan when they met the Red Devils in the Champions League quarter-finals just over 14 years ago.

Alex Ferguson’s side emerged triumphant, before recording victories against Juventus and Bayern Munich to lift the trophy for the first time under the Scot, who stood down after 26 years in the job last summer.

The transition is proving to be anything but straightforward. United have lost three of their opening six Premier League games, their worst start since 1989, and travel to Ukraine with Ferguson’s successor David Moyes under huge pressure.

“I played against Manchester United 14 years ago,” said Lucescu. “Then it was a machine for winning trophies.

“It was more of an English team then. Now it’s more international, so it’s quite difficult to compare these two teams.”

A veteran of almost a decade’s service at Shakhtar, 68-year-old Lucescu realises how much upheaval Ferguson’s exit has caused at the Old Trafford outfit.

“Of course every coach needs some time to look at a new way,” he said.

“He (Moyes) needs time to get his ideas across to the players. (Carlo) Ancelotti is having the same problem (at Real Madrid). (Jose) Mourinho (at Chelsea) and (Manuel) Pellegrini (at Manchester City) are the same.

“You need some time to prepare the team. Let’s hope they find it, but only after tomorrow’s game.”

Moyes has confirmed Rio Ferdinand is among the players who have not flown to Ukraine for the match.

Moyes confirmed Ferdinand has picked up a slight groin strain, but that the 34-year-old would have missed the trip anyway.

"Rio has a slight groin problem," said the Scot. "It is nothing serious but I was never bringing him anyway."

Moyes also said that Anderson, Fabio and Wilfried Zaha were also missing from Tuesday's flight.