Alex Ferguson's belief that Manchester United are good enough to win the European Cup was given added credence tonight as the Old Trafford side showed they have learned one thing from the Liverpool coaching manual.

In their Euro glory days, the Anfield outfit were masters of squeezing the life out of away ties, soaking up everything with practiced excellence.

United are usually made of different stock, a team full of attacking menace and cut and thrust.

But tonight they proved just why they are England's best hope of doing what the other Reds last did in 1984 as they carried out the ultimate no-risk strategy in the land of high-rollers.

Monaco's limited threat was snuffed out by a blue-clad blanket of defensive resilience, Peter Schmeichel finding his 50th European match one of his easiest.

Henning Berg and Ronny Johnsen were pillars of strength as the Premiership champions coped with an ease even Ferguson could not have expected.

And while United could not complete the perfect evening by nicking a crucial away goal - Nicky Butt went closest with a second-half header - Ferguson knew his team had demonstrated just how well the lessons of previous campaigns have been taken to heart.

Ferguson had called on his men to show "courage", believe in themselves and impose their game on Jean Tigana's side.

Yet there was little to suggest United had much to fear from the opening exchanges as Monaco looked far removed from the side that had scored 12 goals in their three home group matches.

The bobbly Stade Louis II pitch and strong wind did not help, but there was a subdued feel about the whole occasion - whatever the Principality is, it is by no means a hotbed of football fever.

Victor Ikpeba and Thierry Henry had pace and Scotland's John Collins and Algerian playmaker Ali Banarbia looked to probe, but Schmeichel has rarely been less troubled in his 50 European ties.

Berg and Johnsen, making light of Gary Pallister's absence, were secure, as were Denis Irwin and Gary Neville, while Phil Neville sat in front of the defence and Ferguson must have been pleased with the solidity.

Not that United, very controlled and disciplined, were overly adventurous either in a match that cried out for someone to take hold of it by the scruff of the neck.

When United tried to get forward they were caught offside too regularly, although one late flag against David Beckham after Irwin lofted the ball over the top seemed debatable.

Not until the 25th minute did either goalkeeper have a shot to save, Schmeichel springing to his right to turn aside a long-ranger by Belgian Philippe Leonard, and the left-back caused most anxieties with his delivery.

One cross flicked off Sylvain Legwinski's head before Leonard found Ikpeba on the right, Berg doing well to beat Benarbia to the Nigerian's driven cross.

United had failed to test Fabien Barthez at all, but with Monaco equally lacking it seemed a mistake was needed to change things.

That almost occurred just before the break, Johnsen's misdirected header from Leonard's ball in falling for Henry, whose strike was spilled by Schmeichel before Berg hacked the ball away.

The United fans who had swarmed into Monte Carlo tried to inject some passion into the contest at the start of the second period, Teddy Sheringham dropping deeper and taking Martin Djetou with him, leaving Andy Cole to forage for scraps against Bosnian Muhamed Konjic and sweeper Franck Dumas.

But understandably, United were not gambling, the stakes too high for that, remaining calm and assured, waiting for a chance to strike.

Monaco's threat appeared lessened when Ikpeba was forced off just after the hour, Croatian Robert Spehar coming on, and United almost took the lead two minutes later.

Sheringham dummied as Gary Neville hurled the ball over from the right and that left space for Butt, playing on the left again, to react quickest and head for goal, Barthez stretching his right arm to flick the ball over the top.

Ferguson then made a change, Brian McClair coming into midfield for Irwin, Phil Neville switching to defence and Butt moving inside.

Schmeichel, again hardly taxed, scrambled to hold a 25-yarder from Djetou, but that was the extent of Monaco's attempts on goal and when Benarbia was replaced by Stephane Carnot, the home side seemed to have settled for a blank scoreline.

Spehar's shot five minutes later had little conviction, nor his header from Carnot's centre, before Spanish referee Manuel Diaz Vega courted real controversy by penalising Schmeichel for timewasting.

But the wall did its job - as United had all evening - and the tamest of matches came to the tamest conclusion.

It was not exciting, indeed one of the dullest matches United have played for years. No bookings, hardly a foul, a match that petered out long before the end.

Exactly what Bob Paisley would have ordered. Ferguson will not be too unhappy at the comparison. It will be a different sort of occasion back at Old Trafford.

Teams:

AS Monaco: Barthez, Djetou, Dumas, Collins, Benarbia (Carnot 75), Henry (Lefevre 78), Legwinsky, Leonard, Sagnol, Konjic, Ikpeba Nosa (Spehar 62).

Subs Not Used: Porato, Pignol, Da Costa, Cristanval.

Man Utd: Schmeichel, G. Neville, Irwin (McClair 66), Johnsen, Beckham, Butt, Cole, Sheringham, P. Neville, Scholes, Berg.

Subs Not Used: Van Der Gouw, May, Clegg, Solskjaer, Thornley, Casper.

Att: 15,000

Ref: Manuel Diaz Vega (Spain).