Former Sunderland star Kevin Kilbane is confident David Moyes will be successful with Manchester United.

Kilbane played with Moyes as a YTS teenager at Preston and followed him to ­Goodison and he is in no doubt that his former team-mate and boss will be a major hit at Old Trafford.

Kilbane told the Daily Star: "He was always very ­knowledgeable and ­astute. He was like a sponge. He watched videos non-stop on players and games, sometimes ­until late at night.

"He was excellent in his preparations for games. Going from Preston to Everton was a huge step up and he's going to manage a ­different calibre of player at United.

"It's about keeping them motivated and he will do that. It is a perfect fit. Sir Alex will be in the background and a shadow around the place.

"But David will embrace that and get his ­advice when required. He'll do wonderfully well. It takes a certain character to go to a club like United and excel and he's in the Ferguson mould."