Alex Ferguson has said that Manchester United have been lucky with their Champions League draw and thinks that neighbours City face a tougher task in their group.

The Premier League champions begin their European campaign on Wednesday against Benfica, with Basel and Otelul Gulati joining them in Group C.

City, meanwhile, face Napoli, Villareal and Bayern Munich in Group A.

"I think we've been very lucky in the draw because you can sometimes get a really difficult group - not just against good teams but involving travel too," Ferguson told reporters.

"You look at City's group, with Napoli, Bayern Munich and Villarreal, and that's a bloody difficult group - a glad-you're-not-in-it kind of group.

"There are four teams in there capable of being in the top seven in this country so that won't be easy."

United jumped ahead of City at the top of the Premier League on goal difference on Saturday with a 5-0 win at Bolton Wanderers.