Luis Suarez is up there with Messi and Ronaldo, says Manchester United's Wayne Rooney ahead of Liverpool clash

 
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Sam Johnston16 March 2014

Wayne Rooney has described Luis Suarez as one of the world’s best footballers and admitted the Uruguayan will be Manchester United’s top defensive priority when they face Liverpool on Sunday.

United sit 11 points adrift of Liverpool in the Premier League and have scored only 46 goals compared to their local rival's 73.

At the start of the season Rooney and Robin Van Persie were considered the top strike force in the country, but Suarez’s SAS partnership with Daniel Sturridge has established itself as the Premier League’s best.

Suarez and Sturridge’s combined tally of 42 league goals dwarfs the evenly split 22 managed by United’s heavyweight duo, and Rooney was quick to credit Sunday's opponenets.

"Suarez, for me, is up there with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as one of the best players in the world," the United striker told MUTV.

"He has been that good and the two of them together have been in great form this season. We will have to do everything we can to stop them on Sunday.

"I think they are both fantastic players and obviously it is good to see Sturridge doing well because he has never really had a chance at his previous clubs.

"Brendan Rodgers has given him a chance and he has taken it with both hands. That is good for England as well."

Rooney and Van Persie have both suffered injury setbacks this season and have rarely enjoyed a spell in the team together when both fully fit.

Rooney believes that with both players now fit and having committed their futures to the club, the duo can begin to thrive again.

"We can do better and if we are not at the top of the league then that will get looked at and we understand that," Rooney said.

"We can score more goals and we know we can. We are working hard to do that, we have to keep going and hopefully that will come."

Meanwhile, United manager David Moyes has said he is focused on improving his side’s fortunes rather than damaging Liverpool’s title hopes.

"We are a work in progress," the United boss said. "We are looking to make changes in time.

"We will regroup and get ourselves back together and hopefully it won't be too long.

"My biggest goal is not affecting Liverpool's title challenge, my biggest goal is to get Manchester United winning the title. That's my goal and will be my goal every year I'm in the job."

Moyes suggested that Liverpool’s lighter schedule this season may have been a big factor in their success, while adding that securing Luis Suarez on a long term deal was huge coup for the club.

"Liverpool and Brendan might have benefited from being out of Europe,” added Moyes.

"They've grown in confidence and securing Suarez on a new contract has been a big boost for the club."

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