THE pride Gordon Strachan has in his players has never waned.

Today, as he reflects on an astonishing effort to contain the might of European champions Manchester United, he hopes that they receive the credit they are due.

ONE BY ONE By Thomas Jordan BORUC Unlucky Was helpless to turn a swerving Ronaldo shot anywhere other than into the path of Ryan Giggs for the equalising goal six minutes from time. HINKEL Solid The German international has rightly come in for a fair bit of flak for below-par performances but he excelled against the European champions. CALDWELL Quality Continues to impress this season. Once the whipping boy of the Parkhead support but he's quickly become one of the most influential players at the club. Brilliantly set-up McDonald for the opening goal. McMANUS Outstanding Defended as if his life depended on it. Threw himself in front of numerous shots on goals and led by example. The captain was outstanding from the first whistle until the last. WILSON Reliable Handed the unenviable task of trying to stop Ronaldo in his tracks and managed to give a good account of himself over the 90 minutes. BROWN Great Showed that he can operate at the highest level with an impressive display on the right of the Celtic midfield. Wasn't overawed by some of the household names in the visiting line-up. HARTLEY Controlled Emerged with great credit for working his socks off and trying to keep possession under some serious United pressure. ROBSON Aggressive Spoke of getting in the United player's faces and he certainly managed that with some fierce tackling in the middle of the park. Put himself about and made sure Celtic had a physical presence in the midfield area. MALONEY Defensive Was asked to track back and double up on Ronaldo with Mark Wilson but the little winger still managed to get forward. Vital goal-line clearance. McDONALD Clinical Opened the scoring with a dream goal after 13 minutes. The little Aussie still had it all to do when he found himself with a bit of space inside the United box, but his precision lob was never destined for anywhere other than the back of the net. SHERIDAN Impressive It was the biggest night of the youngster's career and he rose to the challenge. Was always going to be tested sternly against a powerful United defence but worked hard. DONATI Took over from Sheridan and tried to keep possession as United piled on the pressure. O'DEA Came on for Maloney as Celtic went for five at the back. HUTCHINSON Offered fresh legs in attack after replacing McDonald. GORDON STRACHAN The Celtic manager went with the same starting line-up that defeated Hearts at the weekend and was rewarded with a massive effort considering their injury problems. FANS Vocal and inspiring but one idiot spoiled it by invading the park. Some visiting supporters, however, disgraced their club with bigoted songs.

The 1-1 draw earned by his depleted side at Celtic Park means that victory in Aalborg on November 25 will guarantee Celtic a place in the Uefa Cup last 32, no matter what happens in the games on Match Day Six, as the Spl champions would remain ahead of the Danes on their head-to-head.

It could also keep alive slim hopes of reaching the last 16 of the Champions League, though that would require Manchester United to defeat Villarreal then Celtic to beat the Spanish club on December 10.

Strachan insists that is all for statisticians. His focus is centred only on ensuring the players who ran, chased, tackled, jumped and harried for all their worth - against the side which defeated them 3-0 at Old Trafford two weeks ago when they were cruelly, ignorantly referred to as boys against men - have restored their rightful level of respect.

The Parkhead boss admits by the time a roller-coaster 90 minutes had come to an end, his book of systems and formations was as exhausted as the men on the pitch.

Indeed, the game ended with him deploying three centre-backs, two full-backs, a deep-lying four-man midfield and a rookie, Ben Hutchinson, up front in an attempt to hold out wave after wave of attack.

Unfortunately, the lead given to them by Scott McDonald's excellent finish on 13 minutes was finally cancelled out by Ryan Giggs' quick reactions, after Artur Bourc had parried Cristiano Ronaldo's long-range, swerving shot.

But disappointing though that was, Strachan clings to the mantra that what does not kill you makes you stronger - and Celtic are still very much alive in this Euro campaign.

Assuming the injured Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink, Georgios Samaras, Aiden McGeady, Glenn Loovens and Marc Crosas can return to help the final push in Group E, the Celtic manager's sadness at not repeating the feat of defeating United - as they did two years ago - is overwhelmed by his confidence for what is to come.

Strachan said: "We have a physical presence, a passing presence and a goal-scoring threat all to come back. But what you can't deny we have - even with all these players out - is a terrific team spirit."

It is the fuel which drives his players on when their tanks are reading empty, as they were long before the end of last night's pulsating game.

And it is what kept them believing when so many were telling them their European campaign was over, courtesy of taking just one point from their opening three matches.

Strachan can understand, and shares, the frustration generated by their results in the first half of Group E, even though he concedes Villarreal and United - locked on eight points with Aalborg and Celtic on two - are very good sides.

But he added: "We will be disappointed if we don't get through to the last 16 again - that is the standard we have set ourselves. But stranger things have happened, and we will not give up."

Booking that Uefa Cup place and European football after Christmas is the immediate aim. Even before they head to Denmark, however, Strachan explained they have achieved their initial target.

"The first step was to put in a performance and get a bit of pride back," he said.

"We are proud of what we have done domestically this season, but I'm told we took a bit of a rattling from some quarters for what happened at Old Trafford.

"We have been missing a lot of important players. Take out Rooney, Ronaldo and Berbatov from their team, they would not play as they did against us."

Such is the strength of the expensively-assembled squad at Sir Alex Ferguson's disposal, he could even afford to leave Rooney and Berbatov on a bench packed with players, most of whom would walk straight into Celtic's XI.

European Player of the Year Ronaldo did show his skills - and pettiness - for the full match, and it was his unique ability which opened the door for Giggs to net the equaliser which all but sends United into the knockout rounds.

Only a defeat by at least four goals to Aalborg at Old Trafford could prevent them marching through, - there's no bookie in the land would refuse you that bet.

For all Ronaldo upset the Celtic support with his sulks, his tricks lit up Bonfire Night. And, just as he did at Old Trafford, the action he can put on the ball bamboozled Boruc.

Strachan said: "I don't think anyone else can hit the ball like that from a kind of standing position."

The only man in Celtic's squad who might give him a run for his money is Shunsuke Nakamura. But the rough-and-tumble of a British cup tie was never going to be the platform for the Japanese to show his talents, so he was benched.

Like a few others, Naka will be required to add fresh legs to the side for the game against Motherwell on Saturday and Strachan knows re-energising his men after such a physically and emotionally draining night will be tough.

He said: "We have to work on that. But as Alex used to say to us: I will tell you when you are tired.' The lads playing just now can't get rest time, which is why we were rotating it early doors. I'd love to be doing that again, but with so many players out and so many games, we can't do it."

Celtic: Boruc, Hinkel, Caldwell, McManus, Wilson, Hartley, Scott Brown, Robson, Maloney (O'Dea 75), McDonald (Hutchinson 81), Sheridan (Donati 63).

Subs Not Used: Mark Brown, Naylor, Nakamura, Caddis.

Goals: McDonald 13.

Man Utd: Foster, Rafael Da Silva (Evra 66), Ferdinand, Vidic, O'Shea, Ronaldo, Fletcher, Carrick, Nani (Berbatov 46), Tevez (Rooney 71), Giggs.

Subs Not Used: Kuszczak, Anderson, Park, Evans.

Booked: Nani.

Goals: Giggs 84.

Att: 58,903.

Ref: Tom Ovrebo (Norway).

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NEED TO KNOW

Was it a good game? It was another of those very special European nights at Celtic Park which almost delivered another very special result.

How did the new kids on the block look? Cillian Sheridan took his shot at the big time very well until running out of steam. But late substitute Ben Hutchinson was a bitter disappointment when effort and application were required late on. There were heroes throughout the ranks as every sinew was strained and every muscle stretched to try and hold out for the win. Picking just one would be unfair on their team-mates.

And United's star man? Ronaldo moaned and whinged his way through the night, and even had a petulant kick at Scott Brown off the ball. But his quality shines through all of this, and his wicked, swerving shot set up United's equaliser.

What about the ref? Norwegian official Tom Henning Ovrebo allowed the players to compete in a very British way, booking only Nani for stretching his leniency too far.

Who's up next? There's hardly time to draw breath before Celtic have to face Motherwell at home on Saturday.