Manchester United captain Gary Neville has likened Wayne Rooney to Old Trafford legend Roy Keane. In his column for the Times of Malta, Neville wrote: "Ahead of Wednesday's Champions League game against Wolfsburg, Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson said Wayne Rooney could easily be one of the best players in the world. Personally, I wouldn't swap him for anybody; he has such a big influence on our team.
"Sometimes the world's best player accolades go to the people who are the most eye-catching and skillful. Rooney obviously has great skill but he also has incredible team qualities - his work rate, his defending, and his goal-scoring abilities all stand out. He's simply a fantastic all-round player.
"In some ways, you see a little bit of Roy Keane's character in Rooney and the way he plays. He's very important, he's infectious and sets the tone: Obviously we have a few people who do that, but he has a fantastic desire that transmits itself to the rest of the team.
"There are always areas in which players can improve - even players who are over 35 will say they can improve - so certainly Rooney in his early 20s is someone who will get better with experience, and that is great for United fans."