Neville: Ronny will shine

Cristiano Ronaldo may not have been able to sprinkle some of his magic on last weekend's disappointing derby defeat, but skipper Gary Neville has backed the winger to continue his incredible form.

Neville has followed Ronaldo's performances closely and says the Portuguese winger's form is incomparable to anything he's ever seen.

Ronaldo has already fired 27 goals this term, surpassing last year's tally of 23, and is within touching distance of George Best's remarkable record of 32 goals in 1967/68.

Neville believes the way in which the 23-year-old has developed into a team player has been key to his emergence as one of the best players in the world.

"In terms of entertainment, performance and production, the player that we’re watching now is every bit as good as anything I’ve ever seen," Neville told United Review. "He’s playing on another planet at the moment.

"His goals’ tally is exceptional, but the most impressive thing is the appreciation he has for playing in a team. His passing, dribbling and crossing are all carefully selected and completed at the right times."

Neville has been a frustrated bystander for the last eleven months with a series of injuries. Nevertheless, his time in the stands has at least allowed him to sit back and appreciate the high standards his team-mates have set this season.

"I said at the start of the campaign that United fans should be as excited as they’ve ever been and that’s been proved," he said. "We’ve had the odd blip, but you experience that every year. We’re getting to the business part of the season now, there’s everything to play for."