Martin O'Neill believes that Cristiano Ronaldo is the best player in the world at the moment - and still not quite as good as George Best. The Aston Villa manager, whose team take on Manchester United at Old Trafford this evening, played with and against the late Old Trafford legend in the 1970s and considers it a worthy compliment that the players can even be talked of in the same conversation.

“The very fact that Ronaldo is being compared favourably - or should I say not unfavourably - with George Best speaks volumes,” the former Northern Ireland and Nottingham Forest player said. “George Best was one of the greatest of all time.

“Ronaldo is the best player in the world at the moment. It's a legitimate comparison. George was an extraordinary player. There will be one or two people of the older generation who would balk at the suggestion that Ronaldo comes near George. I played very seldom with him for Northern Ireland, but I'll tell you how good Best was.

“He came back to play for Northern Ireland in 1976 when Danny Blanchflower became the manager. We opened the campaign with a game against Holland in Rotterdam. He must have nutmegged Johan Neeskens about seven times during the first hour. He was absolutely out of this world for about 60 minutes and then he ran out of steam. This was the Holland side, don't forget, that went on to contest the 1978 World Cup final. And George was past his best.

“They both play out wide, they score goals, they play for Manchester United. Give credit to this lad, he is a phenomenal talent. But George was extraordinary.”

Villa have looked extremely ordinary over the past three matches, but O'Neill will not ask his team, who have been unfortunate only to draw away to Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal since Christmas, to temper their style. “The downside from our viewpoint is that Man United do enjoy playing against us,” he said. “You know, we try to play. And so Man United might think, 'What a cheek.'”

Villa then face Bolton Wanderers, Derby County and Birmingham City. “We have the matches to get into Europe,” O'Neill, who has added Patrik Berger and Wayne Routledge to his squad, said.