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Man Utd's Wayne Rooney is tough enough for Liverpool's Luis Suarez
DAVID MOYES feels Wayne Rooney is getting back to his best despite his initial fears the striker had “gone soft”.
The Manchester United boss can afford no faint hearts in today’s Manchester derby or Wednesday’s Capital One Cup clash with Liverpool, when Luis Suarez is expected to make his long-anticipated comeback.
Rooney has scored three goals in two games for Moyes, who admits his first impressions weren’t great.
The manager explained: “I thought Wayne had to get back to being a bit more aggressive.
“He’s played really well. I’m asking him to step up again. I want him to keep getting better.”
Suarez will end his 10-game exile, for biting Chelsea’s Branislav Ivanovic, at Old Trafford as Liverpool face United for the second time in a month.
The third-round clash continues United’s tough start to the season under their new boss.
Moyes has previous with controversial Uruguayan Suarez from his time as Everton boss.
In the build-up to the Merseyside derby last October, Moyes publicly condemned Suarez for going to ground far too easily.
The striker then scored in the 2-2 draw at Goodison Park and celebrated by diving in front of Moyes.
Anticipating the next meeting with Suarez, Moyes confessed: “It’s interesting he gets to come back in our game. It makes for a good cup tie.
“We’ll do everything we can to get through and I’m sure they will as well.”
Suarez’s diving celebration didn’t upset Moyes. He admitted after the game: “I thought it was great. I actually quite liked that and it is the sort of thing I’d have done if I’d scored.”
Last night he added: “I think Luis Suarez is a really good footballer. I’ve always thought that. You have to admire his footballing ability.”