Stoke boss Tony Pulis meets Manchester United on Saturday, a team he describes as the best in world football. And Pulis believes, if they were to face Champions League winners Barcelona now, it would be a very different outcome to the 3-1 victory the Catalans achieved at Wembley in May.
"If you look at their team and the way they've started, I think United now have a better team than they had last year, and they won the Barclays Premier League title last year," said the Potters boss.
"It's going to be a tough test. We have to play to our maximum, we have to have things go for us, and United have to be a little bit short on the day.
"If they play to their maximum, they will beat any side in the world, and I put Barcelona in that because they have been pretty outstanding."
He added: "I think Hernandez is the next Denis Law. His movement in the box, his anticipation, is fantastic. He's quick, he's got everything great goalscorers need and he's certainly deadly in front of goal.
"And Ashley Young, what a great signing that's turned out to be. Then you've got Rooney playing the best football he's played for years, Nani scoring goals from everywhere. They've got goalscorers and they will be a major force again."
