Messi & co face Red Devils today

BRASïLIA, July 4 (AFP): Argentina will once again turn to Lionel Messi for inspiration when they tackle star-studded Belgium in Brasilia on Saturday in a World Cup quarter-final haunted by ghosts of yesteryear.
Victory would take Argentina into the last four-where either Holland or Costa Rica will await-for only the second time since they last won the tournament in 1986, beating Belgium in the semi-finals en route.
But despite results living up to expectations-Argentina have won all four of their games to date-performances have not, and the team's dependence on Messi has been cited as the key factor.
With four goals in three matches, the Barcelona megastar was his side's saviour in the group phase, while in the 1-0 extra-time victory over Switzerland in the last 16 he seemed the only player capable of making a difference.
Diego Maradona was scathing of the team's performance, warning coach Alejandro Sabella that he is destined for "catastrophe" if he cannot alleviate some of the burden on the team's outstanding player.
Argentina's assault on the World Cup was supposed to be spearheaded by their 'Fantastic Four' attackers, but Messi is the only one who has lived up to his billing so far.
Sergio Aguero is a serious doubt for the Belgium game due to a muscle injury, Gonzalo Higuain is still waiting for his first goal, and despite scoring the winner against the Swiss, Angel Di Maria has delighted and exasperated in equal measure.
Facing accusations that his side are overly reliant on their number 10, Sabella said that "Argentina have always had a dependence on Messi".
It is likely to be no different against Belgium and Messi's task will be rendered doubly difficult by the fact that the opposition goalkeeper, Thibaut Courtois of Atletico Madrid, has kept him at bay for seven games in succession.
Meanwhile: The irresistible fairytale of Costa Rica faces a day of reckoning against Louis van Gaal's hard, calculating Dutch side on Saturday in the Brazil World Cup's most unlikely quarter-final.
Few believed that Costa Rica, a small Central American country with an undistinguished footballing record, would still be standing, especially after a group including Italy, England and Uruguay.
Yet "Los Ticos" shocked Uruguay and Italy to top a group bracketing three World Cup winners, before battling past Greece on penalties after playing an hour with only 10 men.
Despite the talents of Joel Campbell and Bryan Ruiz in attack, it has been more a case of grit and organisation than Latin flair with Jorge Luis Pinto's side conceding only two goals so far and scoring five.
Costa Rica have already outdone their best World Cup performance, reaching the last 16 in 1990, much to the jubilation of fans back home whose celebrations have stretched long into the night.
Whether the parties continue depends on the Netherlands, whose hard-nosed approach and late comebacks have already dashed the dreams of millions of fans in Chile and Mexico.
The 2010 finalists began the World Cup with a heady 5-1 rout of reigning champions Spain, and then came from behind to beat Australia 3-2.
Objections surfaced over their counter-attacking style after the 2-0 win against Chile, which was achieved with two late goals and with veteran forward Dirk Kuyt playing left-back.
And much sympathy for the Oranje evaporated when Arjen Robben, after earning the injury-time penalty that sank Mexico 2-1, admitted diving during the last-16 tie.
After a furore over those comments Robben will not expect any favours from Uzbek referee Ravshan Irmatov, who is yet to give a penalty in his eight-game World Cup career.
But the Bayern Munich flyer's duel against Keylor Navas, one of the World Cup's goalkeeping heroes whose one-handed penalty stop denied Greece, will be closely watched.
Navas, who is expected to recover from a shoulder injury, can also expect a work-out from Robin van Persie with emerging PSV Eindhoven star Memphis Depay likely to figure later on.
In a blow to the Dutch, midfield enforcer Nigel de Jong is out with a groin injury, meaning a reshuffle for the Manchester United-bound Van Gaal.
But the coach has shown cool tactical nous and opportunism, first by redeploying Kuyt and also using the World Cup's first cooling break to switch tactics against Mexico.
Costa Rica have problems in defence with centre-back Oscar Duarte-who scored a brilliant header against Uruguay-suspended and the left-sided Roy Miller an injury concern.