More than 5,000 Crystal Palace fans will descend on Manchester tonight as the Eagles look to cause a Carling Cup upset.

Palace go to Old Trafford to play Manchester United in the quarter-finals of the League Cup but face a tough task against a Sir Alex Ferguson side that is likely to include star names such as Dimitar Berbatov, Michael Carrick and Chris Smalling.

Since the last time the two clubs met - a 0-0 draw at Selhurst Park in March 2005 - they have enjoyed contrasting fortunes, with the Red Devils winning four Premier League titles, three League Cups and the Champions League, while Palace fell into administration and almost went out of business.

Things have been different for Palace this year though after a good start to the Championship season and manager Dougie Freedman sees tonight's game as a good chance to show off all the good things the club has done as well as their promising youngsters.

"I like to show of the talent we have - we run a club that produces players and I’ve got no preference of who sees them and who doesn’t," he said.

"We’re very proud of our young players at the club and I’ve got no problem if someone wants to come along and watch them play or watch them train.

"I’m actually looking forward to the game to show some people that what we do at this club is right and to give a pat on the back to the academy and development coaches because they are the one’s that get them to a level where I can actually pick them.

"Our players have earned the right to play at Old Trafford and the fans have been through a lot in the past two or three years and they’ve stuck by us so a night out will be nice for them."