Manchester United have been drawn against French side Olympique Marseilles in the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League.

The draw represents more good news for the Old Trafford outfit after they knocked Arsenal off the top of the EPL with a 1-0 home win over the North London side earlier this week, ahead of an equally-important trip to EPL title-holders Chelsea this Sunday.

The French side, who recently beat Chelsea in the group stages of the competition, include former United defender Gabriel Hienze among their number. And United boss Alex Ferguson said of the Argentine international: “It’ll be nice to see him.”

Ferguson was pleased with the draw, however, as he had feared a tougher proposition. He said: “Everyone thought we might get one of the Milan sides because we’ve faced them quite a few times in the last few years. But we got Marseille in the draw rehearsal and that proved right.”

But the Scotsman warned: “Marseille are a handful at their own ground, their fantastic atmosphere and incredible support guarantees that. They’ve had a good change in fortunes in the last few years, after a dry spell and I think it will be a difficult tie.”

The sides met in the group stages in 1999/2000. United, then the holders, won 2-1 at Old Trafford but lost 1-0 in the South of France.

A repeat would see them out of the competition on away goals for the second consecutive season, after losing to eventual finalists Bayern Munich in that fashion in last year’s quarter-finals.

An acrobatic header by South Korean midfielder Ji-Sung Park was enough to see off the Gunners in the big EPL clash last Monday.

It was Park’s fourth goal against Arsenal, which Ferguson acknowledged after the match, saying: “Park’s record against Arsenal is very good. He is in fantastic form.”

But United’s supremo added: “Unfortunately we are going to lose him to this Asia Cup for seven matches.” The continental competition starts next month.

United will be without veteran midfielder Paul Scholes for the trip to Stamford Bridge as the 36-year-old is out until January with a persistent hernia problem, which he picked up after United’s 1-0 Champions League win over Rangers last month.

Meanwhile, midfielder Owen Hargreaves has travelled to Munich for treatment of the hamstring injury which limited his comeback from a long-term knee injury to six minutes against Wolves on November 6^th.