But Puel dismissed the suggestion it was a good time to face the English giants, claiming United's determination to bounce back coupled with his own team's improving form could make for an explosive encounter.
Yet Puel is taking heart from the goalless draw at Old Trafford and remains confident his side will soon find the back of the net.
Puel is still without injured captain Stéphane Dumont, but otherwise has a full complement of players available.
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LOSC Lille Métropole coach ClaudePuel may not be the most high-profile figure at the helm of a UEFA Champions League side but he is no stranger to big European nights having spent 22 years as player and coach at AS Monaco FC.
Puel amassed 488 league games as Monaco's midfield anchorman, winning two French titles (1982 and 1988) and the 1991 French Cup in addition to reaching the 1992 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup final and the UEFA Champions League semi-finals two years later.
Puel's coaching philosophy is simple: assemble a team with high fitness levels, stamina and speed in abundance and a miserly defence and - with a bit of luck - any team is beatable.
Socceroo striker Mile Sterjovski is expected to end his frustration at French club Lille and rejuvenate his career with a move to Denmark when the European transfer market reopens at the end of the year.
Sterjovski, 23, has been relegated to the bench and used sparingly by Puel, even though Lille have struggled in the first half of the campaign.
With no signs that Puel is likely to change his views, Sterjovski has been assessing his alternatives and is believed to have settled on a move to Danish league leaders FC Copenhagen.
Lille coach ClaudePuel has called on his goal-shy players to turn up the tempo and benefit from the lack of form shown by Manchester United when the pair meet in the Champions League.
It's all news to Puel, but he is aware of the chances of a United backlash.
Puel said he did not know if it was the best time to play United.
Lille boss ClaudePuel (pictured) claims Monaco needed to resort to long-ball tactics and putting pressure on the referee to win Sunday’s key Ligue 1 clash.
But Puel feels his team were hard done by after seeing striker Matt Moussilou twice signalled offside incorrectly and defender Stathis Tavlaridis sent off for two bookings.
I think 2-0 is a harsh scoreline,” said Puel who used to coach the principality club.
MONACO, Dec 17 (Reuters) - Monaco coach ClaudePuel is under growing pressure after the French champions suffered their fourth home defeat of the season against Stade Rennes on Saturday.
The players refused to talk to the media after the meeting, while Campora would not answer questions on the future of Puel or Monaco's plans for the winter transfer market.
Puel needs his players to rediscover their fight ahead of Wednesday's already pressure-charged derby with Marseille.
Lille coach ClaudePuel believes that Shelbourne’s from in Europe will not reach the next level unless the standard of the eircom League improves in the very near future.
Puel saw his side ease through to the group stages of the Uefa Cup with a comfortable 2-0 second leg win (4-2 on agg) over Shels on Thursday night.
The eircom League side struggled in the match and only had their first real chance of the match in the last minute when Dave Rogers’ free kick forced a save from Lille goalkeeper Tony Silva.
Gerard Houllier, Guy Lacombe and ClaudePuel are the three names now believed to be left in the running to replace Paul Le Guen - who will leave Stade Gerland in the coming weeks.
The final candidate is Puel - and would probably be the hardest to land as he is contracted to Lille.
Aulas is waiting for Puel to confirm his future plans, but he insists he will wait.
PARIS, June 3 (Reuters) - Monaco coach ClaudePuel has been told by club president Jean-Louis Campora that he will not be in charge of the principality team next season, club sources said.
Former player Puel led Monaco to the French First Division title in 2000 but failed to repeat the feat this season and the team failed even to qualify for European competition.
Campora has been in talks with former France captain Didier Deschamps, who is under contract at Valencia for another season but could join Monaco as player-manager, the sources added.
After Toulouse's Alain Giresse and St Etienne's Robert Nouzaret were dismissed in September, French champions Monaco have ClaudePuel at odds with club president Jean-Louis Campora after the club's elimination from the Champions League.
Campora came to Monaco's training camp this week to warn Puel that he wanted the players to show more motivation.
Monaco president Jean-Louis Campora has warned coach ClaudePuel that he expects improved motivation from the players in training and Italian striker Marco Simone has threatened to leave if team spirit did not improve.
Lille's hopes of qualifying had seemingly taken a fatal blow when they only drew 2-2 with RSC Anderlecht last time out, but the Belgian club did their French rivals a favour tonight by repeating that scoreline at home to AEK Athens FC when an away win would have rendered Lille’s famous victory meaningless.
Peter Odemwingie and Kader Keita were on target for ClaudePuel’s side, who showed more enterprise than their illustrious hosts from start to finish.
Lille coach ClaudePuel had urged his side not to come away from the match harbouring any regrets and with that in mind the French side started positively.
Bosnich has promised to fight for his place after Monaco's French international Fabien Barthez became the latest big-name keeper to be linked with the Premiership champions.
The World Cup winner has asked Monaco for a transfer after falling out with coach ClaudePuel and would like to move to Old Trafford.
Alex Ferguson is also reportedly interested in Italians Giani Buffon and Francesco Toldo as the United boss considers ways of increasing the competition for places among his goalkeepers.
Après deux soirées européennes, les hommes de ClaudePuel comptent deux points, soit un meilleur bilan comptable que l'an passé, dans un groupe H où les Milanais sont les favoris.
"Ce que nous avons appris l'an dernier nous a servi ce soir", a estimé Puel, satisfait de voir son groupe se libérer et se montrer moins craintif ou crispé que la saison dernière.
"Le prochain match à domicile sera déterminant", affirme ClaudePuel, persuadé que Milan est au-dessus du lot dans le groupe H mais que la deuxième place derrière les Italiens est accessible.
