Brendan Rodgers told Chelsea to buy Fernando Torres five years ago

BRENDAN RODGERS would have saved Chelsea millions if they had taken his advice and bought Fernando Torres — FIVE years ago.

Rodgers was the Chelsea 'spy' who recommended the Spaniard to the Blues after watching the young Atletico Madrid striker star against Barcelona at the Nou Camp.

In the end Chelsea signed misfit Andriy Shevchenko, with Torres eventually arriving in these shores at Liverpool for £26million in 2007.

Chelsea eventually forked out an English record £50m in January for a player who has since failed to fire.

But Rodgers, an ex-member of Jose Mourinho's backroom staff and now boss at Swansea, said: "He's a wonderful talent and a great striker. I remember going to watch him with Atletico Madrid and he scored twice.

"He was outstanding and I recommended they take him at the time."

Rodgers cut his managerial teeth under Mourinho — and alongside current Blues boss Andre Villas-Boas — coaching the youth side before being promoted to reserve team boss.

And ahead of his first trip back to Stamford Bridge tomorrow, Rodgers fears a Torres backlash after his open-goal miss against Manchester United.

He said: "I know that he is a world-class striker.

"That miss will be something that he will want to put right as soon as possible."

Anelka US Bound

Chelsea striker Nicolas Anelka is likely to end his career in the United States and is currently being tracked by Major League Soccer sides NY Red Bulls and LA Galaxy.

The 32 year old Frenchman who made his name for Arsenal as a youngster before a high profile move from Arsenal to Real Madrid in 1999 for £22 million, is set to leave Chelsea once the 2011 – 2012 season is completed.

Anelka who is in the final year of his contract at Stamford Bridge joined Chelsea in January 2008 from Bolton Wanderers in a £15 million deal.

So far this season Anelka has bagged one goal for Chelsea and it looks like Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas will be utilising Anelka in a squad rotation role.

Didier Drogba: I’m so lucky to be alive

CHELSEA striker Didier Drogba has dramatically spoken for the first time about the horrific collision which knocked him out for nearly eight minutes.

And with searing honesty the big Ivorian admitted: "The most important thing is I'm alive."

Drogba fell to the ground motionless after a challenge with Norwich keeper John Ruddy last month.

Medics raced on to the field and applied an oxygen mask as worried players looked on before Drogba was carried off and taken to hospital.

He suffered concussion and a perforated eardrum but hopes to come back at home to Swansea today.

But Drogba believes he is fortunate to still be around.

In an exclusive interview with SunSport, he said: "When I see those images again it's scary. I was lucky, definitely.

"Playing football is important for me but being alive and being with my kids and having my family happy that I'm still here is the most important thing."

Arsenal could sell FOUR more stars next summer

Arsene Wenger admits Arsenal face major battles to avoid losing another FOUR players next summer.

Robin van Persie, Theo Walcott, Thomas Vermaelen and Andrey Arshavin will all have one year left on their contracts at the end of the current season.

And Gunners boss Wenger may be forced to cash in on them, rather than risk losing the quartet on free transfers.

Arsenal opted to sell Samir Nasri this summer because he only had one year left on his deal - and Manchester City TREBLED his wages to £180,000-a-week.

“Our desire is there to convince them to stay," said Wenger. “We tried before and the financial gap on that front has become bigger for us.

"I cannot say that if we go to our maximum wage that we are sure to sign a player.”

Bayern Munich and Inter Milan are keen on new Gunners captain Van Persie, while England winger Walcott would have no shortage of takers.

Meanwhile, Wenger is watching 22-year-old Valencia midfielder Dani Parejo.

Sir Alex Ferguson reveals Nemanja Vidic injury fears

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson says Nemanja Vidic faces a longer spell out than first thought as he recovers from a calf injury.

The defender sustained the problem in the opening-day win over West Brom, but despite an initial prognosis of six weeks out, Vidic is no nearer a return.

"It's slow progress with Nemanja," revealed Ferguson.

United have won four straight league matches in Vidic's absence, with the likes of Phil Jones, Chris Smalling and Jonny Evans impressing in his stead.

"Calves can be troublesome. He's not done any training [and] he's not making any great progress at the moment."

But the Serbian remains a key part of Ferguson's squad and the Scot is hoping that the same fate which befell Bryan Robson does not strike his centre-half.

"I remember when Bryan Robson had calf trouble it kept him out for three months," said Ferguson.

"Hopefully it's not as long as that [but] calves can be troublesome."

United defend their 100% winning league record so far this season against Stoke on Saturday evening.

Arsenal midfielder Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere out for months after ankle surgery

Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere will be out of action until Christmas as his ankle injury has not responded to treatment.

The England player sustained the injury in the Gunners' pre-season friendly against New York Red Bulls on 31 July.

It was only expected to rule him out for a short while, but has proved far more troublesome for the 19-year-old.

"The bone is not responding. I will have surgery on my right ankle on Monday," Wilshere wrote on Twitter.

"Hopefully I will return to action around Christmas time. I am in good hands! Thanks for your support everyone!", he added.

Arsenal released a statement on their website saying: "Wilshere has recently been wearing a protective boot aimed at allowing a stress fracture of the ankle time to heal naturally and avoid surgery.

"However, scans this week have revealed that the fracture has not responded positively during this period.

"Throughout Jack's injury, the club has been guided by the continuous advice of several world-renowned specialists. The information attained this week has led to the conclusion that surgery is now required to gain an optimal response.

"Wilshere is now expected to be out for a period of months. Following surgery these timescales will become more specific."

Wilshere's absence adds to the disappointment surrounding the start of the season at the Emirates Stadium. After losing key midfielders Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri, Arsene Wenger's side lie 17th in the Premier League table having lost three of their first five matches.

On the plus side, the arrivals of Yossi Benayoun and Mikel Arteta have strengthened Arsenal's midfield. On Friday Wenger said he had not given up hope of winning the title, despite the poor start to the campaign.

Wilshere was wearing a protective boot to guard the affected right ankle, which Wenger claims was first damaged when the midfielder was on England duty against Switzerland in June.

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Win like basketball game - Ferguson

Manchester United went two points clear at the top of the Premier League after beating Chelsea in a highly eventful encounter at Old Trafford.

United were three up at half-time with goals from Chris Smalling, Nani and Wayne Rooney as Chelsea contributed to their own downfall courtesy of poor defending and a dismal failure to take the chances that came their way.

The scoreline barely starts to tell the story of a game that was a mixture of madcap moments, missed opportunities and high quality that ended with Sir Alex Ferguson's champions maintaining their 100% league record.

Fernando Torres, lively throughout, scored his first goal of the season with a fine finish just after half-time but his improved performance will be scarred by his astonishing late miss at the Stretford End when he shot wide of an open goal after skipping around United goalkeeper David de Gea.

It spared some embarrassment for Rooney, who earlier missed a penalty in farcical circumstances when he slipped haplessly as he ran up to take his kick.

Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas suffered his first defeat since his arrival at Stamford Bridge - and his first league loss since his Academica side went down 3-2 at home to Benfica in Portugal in April 2010. He may take some comfort from the fact Chelsea held their own for long periods but were ultimately let down by moments of weakness at both ends.

United have been devastating when offered opportunities this season. And so it proved when poor marking from Ashley Young's free-kick left Smalling unattended to head powerfully past Petr Cech, although the visitors felt he was offside.

Torres scuffed an angled finish after Anderson carelessly conceded possession and another culprit was Ramires, who was guilty of an awful miss in the 25th minute. The impressive Juan Mata played in Torres, who unselfishly squared the ball for Ramires in front of an open goal, but his weak finish allowed De Gea to make a scrambling save.

Chelsea were not discouraged by the early setback though and wasted two chances to equalise before the game was taken out of their reach in the closing stages of the first half.

Chelsea paid a huge price for Ramires' generosity as United struck twice before half-time to put themselves firmly in control.

Nani scored the second with a spectacular rising drive from the edge of the area nine minutes before the interval and Rooney, inevitably, was the man on the spot as United increased their lead in the closing seconds of the half. John Terry's clearance struck Nani and rolled invitingly into Rooney's path for the simplest of finishes.

It prompted Villas-Boas into making a change with Nicolas Anelka coming on to replace Frank Lampard - a switch that had an instant impact as the Frenchman played in Torres within a minute of the restart for the sort of finish that was his trademark at the height of his powers.

Chelsea suddenly had hope but it looked to have been snatched away when United were awarded a penalty in the 55th minute. Nani struck the bar after cutting inside and was then hauled down by Bosingwa as he chased the rebound.

Rooney exchanged smiles with England colleague Terry as he waited to run up but Chelsea's captain had the last laugh as the striker slipped as he took the kick and missed the target.

Torres was showing real signs of sharpness, meanwhile, as he brought another save from De Gea, but Rooney was also in the mood and rolled an effort against the foot of the post with Cech beaten.

There was no excuse for Torres, however, when he somehow failed to score his second with seven minutes left. He sidestepped De Gea with ease and composure at the Stretford End then, with an open goal at his mercy, missed the target hopelessly as the taunts for the former Liverpool striker rang around Old Trafford.

The action continued right until the final whistle as Cole cleared off the line from United substitute Dimitar Berbatov after he was set up by Rooney.

Why Dalglish must leave £64m trio Carroll, Henderson and Adam on the bench .

Liverpool spent a combined £64million on Andy Carroll, Jordan Henderson and Charlie Adam. But the lesson of the last two games is that none of the three should be in Kenny Dalglish's first team to face Wolves at the weekend.

For one thing, The Man is back - and he must start.

As Kenny Dalglish is well aware, he could have spent £200m in the last transfer window and all those players combined would not have been as important to Liverpool as Steven Gerrard is.

But the depressing and disorganised defeat at Tottenham, followed by a tense, but thrilling win at Brighton in the Carling Cup, will have taught him far more than the obvious.

After his sub-par effort at White Hart Lane and the way Craig Bellamy linked up with Luis Suarez at the AmEx, £35million man Carroll faces a real battle to get back into the team.

On Sunday, Carroll and Suarez did not hit it off, looking isolated, lethargic and frustrated.

By Wednesday night, Bellamy and Suarez had an instant rapport. The movement and pace that were so criminally absent at Spurs were back.

And perhaps Dalglish saw that Liverpool could be a fast-attacking side this season, not one built to play to Carroll's undoubted strengths.

At the start of the season, everyone was describing Bellamy as an impact player, someone who could come off the bench and worry teams with speed in the last 20 minutes.

Now I think the opposite is true.

It's Bellamy who must wear teams down and Carroll, off the bench, who must finish them off.

Let's get one thing straight. I rate Carroll. I rate Adam too. And while I can't quite see what all the fuss is about with Henderson, he's a decent player.

But for me, Liverpool's best midfield doesn't include them.

Gerrard would be wasted out wide and Dirk Kuyt's work ethic and intelligence against Brighton, playing little passes around the corner, means he should be in too.

Add the vastly-improved Lucas to hold while Gerrard bombs forward and Stewart Downing to run and cross and you have a fearsome unit - especially with the drive of Bellamy and Suarez ahead of it.

There should be bit-parts for Adam and Henderson, but also for Maxi, who is improving and shows hints that Liverpool could play the Barca way, with quck, short, mobile players drifting in between the lines.

Leaving Carroll, Henderson and Adam on the bench doesn't mean their Liverpool careers are over. It doesn't mean Dalglish has wasted his money. I'd take at least one to come good.

But it does mean that, for the first time in a long time, Liverpool have proper options.

And that can only be a good thing as they start the long road back to the top.

Losing 4-0 to Sunderland, followed by a gruelling penalties win in the Carling Cup against Spurs, isn't the ideal way for Stoke to prepare for Manchester United in our ESPN game this Saturday.

But I feel they have a chance if they stick to the formula that has brought Tony Pulis such success and not try to outplay United or trade with them.

Phil Jones has been outstanding this season - a future England captain in my view - and Chris Smalling has been very good too. Yet still there are signs that, with the pace of Matthew Etherington and Jermaine Pennant, they might be able to unsettle a young United defence.

And crucially, via long throws and free-kicks, Stoke must try to unsettle the shaky David De Gea, who has made some stunning saves but still looks vulnerable to long shots and crosses.

Sticking Kenwyne Jones or Cameron Jerome on him at set-pieces with ratchet up the uncertainty, and I even wonder whether Sir Alex will chose Anders Lindegaard for this game instead.

I take Stoke to score at some point but, after seeing United against Chelsea - where they were outplayed for sections of the match but easily could have scored seven - it has to be another three points for the champions and another step towards an unbeaten season.

My injury hell was United's fault claims Hargreaves

Owen Hargreaves blames Manchester United for his injury-blighted spell at the club.

The England midfielder played just 11 minutes of competitive football in three years before returning to action with Manchester City on Wednesday.

He claims he was robbed of a prime part of his playing career by injections in both knees that produced adverse side effects and caused a further huge setback in his fight for fitness.

Hargreaves, who scored in a 57-minute Carling Cup ­appearance against Birmingham, said his troubles were in part due to bad advice from United and their medical experts.

He said: “After my first season, I had a bit of a tendon problem but didn’t realise the magnitude of it. I played and it got a little bit worse.

“We treated it and it got significantly worse after that, through the injections I had. Basically, I was left to pick up the pieces, which was incredibly frustrating. That was surgery and that was 18 months gone.”

The England international has tried hard not to show any bitterness about his situation, despite missing out on the last World Cup and playing almost no part in England's last two European Championship campaigns.

But he has questioned his treatement at Old Trafford.

“You’d have to ask them [United] if my injuries were mishandled," said Hargreaves. "There were a few crucial points at times. I played my whole first season. I received some injections and after that my tendon was never the same.

“After the injections, I tried to get back on my feet and they said my tendon was good, but it felt like I was made out of glass. That obviously had a huge impact.”

He added: “It’s difficult. All the people there are lovely. Everybody tries their best, but at times you come to a certain point where you need to make a decision.

“They said it would help and that I wouldn’t have any side effects from the injections. That obviously wasn’t the case and if I’d known I could have had a reaction like that, I wouldn’t have done it.

“It’s my career, I’m in it. I’m trying to get all this information. I’m hearing about tendons and before I didn’t know its real function. It was a s*** position to be in, to be honest.”

Hargreaves’ claims were put to United on Thursday, but a spokesman for the club insisted they would not be responding to the comments.

Rooney: My form is down to barber's magic powers

He's the, er, mane man in football right now – and Wayne Rooney reckons his superb ball skills are all down to his barber...

The Manchester United and England striker seems to have regained his form ever since that £30,000 hair transplant a few months ago left him sprouting a head of surprisingly luscious locks.

In fact, the Samson of soccer has such an abundance of hair he gets it trimmed before EVERY match.

Rooney, 25, believes the “magical powers” of hair-whisperer Mr Daniel J have helped him score two consecutive hat-tricks.

“Daniel J always keeps me looking sharp," he said. "And when I look sharp, I feel sharp. I don’t know what it is but it’s like his haircuts have magical powers because every time he gives me a trim I seem to go and score.”

Rooney has even got United teammate Rio Ferdinand and Spurs’ Jermain Defoe using his lucky celeb crimper, too.

“All the lads have been asking me for Daniel’s number," he added. "Of course I’m not giving it out to the [Manchester] City boys.”

Back in June, Rooney posted a picture of his bloody bonce on Twitter , and admitted: “I’ve had a hair transplant. I’m delighted. It will take a few months to grow.”

Three months later and while he’s still not quite got a Leo Sayer-esque mop of curls, there is definitely a lot more up top than there was.

Joey Barton was never on Arsene Wenger's radar, says Arsenal chief

The QPR new signing was heavily linked with a shock move to the Emirates during the summer, and recently revealed he held ‘a couple of conversations’ with Arsene Wenger about a possible switch. 

However, Gunners chief Hill-Wood appears to have dismissed the midfielder’s remarks, insisting he Wenger’s supposed interest in bad-boy Barton was news to him. 

‘It's not something the board heard about and if it was a serious proposition I certainly would have expected us to,’ said Hill-Wood. 

After Arsenal’s fiery encounter with Newcastle back in August, which ended with Gervinho and Alex Song picking up three-match bans for altercations with Barton, Wenger admitted his admiration for the player, and hinted he had considered the possibility of bring him to north London. 

‘Nobody dismisses signing Barton but I don't think we envisage doing that at the moment,’ said the Frenchman. 

‘I like the courage of the player, he's a good player. Sometimes there's trouble with his temper but he's a great player.’

Can £50m Striker Torres Recapture His Golden Form?

Andre Villas-Boas found a swift solution to one problem surrounding Fernando Torres - 

whether he is as successful in curing the major difficulty faced by Chelsea's British record signing remains to be seen.

Villas-Boas smiled as he announced an investigation into an interview Torres gave in Spain, which quoted him as making less than flattering remarks about the speed of his older Chelsea team-mates, was over.

The search for the world-class striker that terrorised defenders for Liverpool and Spain goes on and will continue when Chelsea travel to Manchester United in the Premier League on Sunday.

A visit to the champions and Chelsea's main title rivals should be a perfect fit for a £50m striker, but stark statistics tell the tale. Torres has scored once in 23 appearances for Chelsea, a brutal contrast to 81 goals in 142 games at Anfield.

At Liverpool Torres was the player you could almost hear as well as see reducing defenders of the highest quality, to rubble. On one memorable night when he destroyed Real Madrid in Liverpool's 4-0 win at Anfield, one Spanish journalist reacted to another devastating run with the words: "He is like a golden bullet."

So why has Torres misfired so far at Chelsea - and can the 27-year-old ever recapture the menace and pace that elevated him to one of the world's great strikers two years ago

So why has Torres misfired so far at Chelsea - and can the 27-year-old ever recapture the menace and pace that elevated him to one of the world's great strikers two years ago?

Former Chelsea and Scotland winger Pat Nevin has never wavered in his belief that Torres simply needs the medicine of goals to cure his ills - while former Liverpool defender and Match of the Day pundit Alan Hansen expresses concerns about whether the Torres of old will ever return.

Nevin said: "Fernando Torres doesn't look like he's got anything wrong with him that a couple of goals wouldn't solve. His movement was good against Bayer and he almost scored a phenomenal goal in the first minute.

"What I also thought was a good sign was the way he set up the second goal for Juan Mata. It showed he is a team player. He is desperate for a goal but that desire to score is not forcing him into making bad decisions. He worked out the percentages, which were that he probably had a 35% chance of scoring and Mata had a 95% chance of scoring, and reached the correct conclusion."

Torres, because of the money spent and the lingering feeling that he was more vanity purchase by Roman Abramovich rather than part of a considered plan, will be central to the narrative of Chelsea's season. Villas-Boas will hope it has a happy ending.

Nevin added: "Chelsea won 2-0 because Torres did that and that is what people have to understand. He knew to try and score himself was the wrong thing for a good striker to do, so he did the right thing and I happen to think he is doing lots of right things

Steven Gerrard's Liverpool return will not be rushed - Kenny Dalglish

Kenny Dalglish insists Liverpool are taking a sensible approach to Steven Gerrard's return from a groin injury.

The 31-year-old midfielder was planning to make his comeback from six months out in Sunday's Premier League game against Tottenham at White Hart Lane.

But the Reds captain looks likely to miss out and return next Wednesday in the Carling Cup against Brighton.

"There is no rush from us or from him because it has to be common sense," said Liverpool boss Dalglish.

"We will pick and choose when it is best suited for Steven, whichever games suits him best.

He added: "Everyone who is asked to play will be fit enough to play.

"We will analyse his recovery and how the progress is (and) we will do the same for Martin Kelly."

Gerrard has not played since March after undergoing groin surgery.

The England international was expected to be ready for the start of the season but suffered a setback in July when he was admitted to hospital with a related infection.

Gerrard said earlier in September: "Since coming out of hospital my rehab has gone really well. I'm really happy and positive again. My groin is as strong as it's ever been.

"What I've done over the past four weeks tells me that's the case and I've got total confidence in it."

"My groin is tested when I'm working and the physios collect data. My groin scores now are better than before I even started feeling my groin.

Liverpool's only real injury concern for the trip to north London is defender Glen Johnson, who suffered a recurrence of a hamstring injury in the 1-0 defeat by Stoke.

"We are just waiting for some test results to come back," Dalglish confirmed.

Swansea City deadline day transfers blocked by Fifa

Swansea City have been denied international clearance by Fifa for transfer deadline day signings Darnel Situ and Rafik Halliche.

The Premier League side had agreed to sign Situ from Lens as well as a loan deal for Fulham's Halliche.

But they have been informed they will not be granted international clearance for either defender.

Swansea will await written confirmation before considering whether to appeal.

"Swansea City is disappointed with FIFA's decision and are currently pursuing other options to strengthen the squad," the club said in a statement.

"The club will not be making any other comment at this stage until full written clarification is received from Fifa."

The Swans agreed a four-month loan deal for Fulham centre-back Halliche, 25, and a £250,000 permanent deal for Situ, 19, from French club Lens on 31 August.

Manager Brendan Rodgers had been unable to field the duo whilst awaiting the green light from Fifa due to minor delays in processing the transfers,

Fifa's decision comes despite Swansea having the full backing of the Premier League, the Football Association of Wales, the FA, the French Football Federation and the Professional Footballers Association.

The Swans had already received clearance for their other transfer deadline day signing Fede Bessone, who returned to the club from Leeds on a free transfer.

When I was AVB's age I ran two pubs on the side and my players got about £5 a week

The opulent splendour of Chelsea’s King’s Road, with its well-heeled residents, is a far cry from the gritty streets of Glasgow and its stoic folk.

But the two contrasting locations provide the fascinating subtext to Sunday’s showdown between Manchester United and Chelsea - the intriguing head-to-head battle between their respective bosses.

When Sir Alex Ferguson was 33, the same age Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas is now, he was managing East Stirlingshire on a shoestring and running two pubs in his spare time while trying to make his name in football.

Ferguson worked his way to the top the hard way, his various experiences instilling in him the mindset and character that has made the Scot arguably the greatest football manager of all time.

Not for Ferguson the fast-track route the urbane Villas-Boas, who comes from a wealthy background and speaks six languages, has enjoyed on his rise to the big time at such a young age.

“It was a part-time team I took over at East Stirling,” recalled Ferguson, as he addressed the contrast between himself and Villas-Boas at the same age.

“The players were on about £5 a week and I was running two pubs in Glasgow, so it was a different thing altogether [to Villas-Boas].

“But the one common denominator is that you want to be successful. I set about it in a determined fashion and I wasn’t going to fail.

“I’d chosen that life [as a football manager]. I’d been an engineer and I made up my mind I wasn’t going to go back to engineering.

“So I took all my coaching badges when I was young - 23 - so I had prepared to be a manager.

“It’s important if you want to be in the game that you do that. That involves taking all the courses so you can show anybody who interviews you for a job that you’re ready.”

Undefeated in five games and with positive noises about his style coming from the Chelsea dressing-room, Villas-Boas would not seem to have encountered any problems managing players of a similar age to him.

Success at Porto last season meant he commanded respect following his appointment at Chelsea, but the young boss could still learn a thing or two from the Godfather of managers in terms of how to survive at the top.

Ferguson, who at 69 is 36 years older than Villas-Boas and celebrates 25 years in charge of United in November, said: “I never had a problem dealing with people my age or round about my age.

“It didn’t bother me. You can get carried away with these things. I never thought about my players having a problem with me either.

“My advice to any young manager is that you should never seek confrontation because it’s always around the corner, in all shapes and forms.

“You should contain all your thoughts and decision-making to the performance on the football field.

“Other parts that become contentious, whether it’s players’ behaviour or discipline, you deal with as they come along, but you don’t go searching for it. I never did.”

Despite the obvious contrast in their routes to their current positions, Ferguson acknowledged there were similarities between himself and Villas-Boas.

Ferguson took on the United job having led Aberdeen to the Scottish title and Cup-Winners’ Cup Final success over Real Madrid, while Villas-Boas arrived at Stamford Bridge boasting the Portuguese title and cup and the Europa League crown.

“I think there are similarities,” said Fergie. “When I came down from Aberdeen I’d achieved something and it’s the same for him. He won the double with Porto last year - the Europa League and the title.

“Those achievements will stand him in good stead in terms of the start of his tenure at Chelsea.

“After that, the impression the players will get from him in terms of his knowledge of the game, his man-management skills and how he handles all of that, only the future knows. But he’s had a good start.

“Iit would be an incredible achievement [if Villas-Boas were to win the Premier League]. That somebody so young could go and do that would be incredible. You couldn’t dispute that.

“To come to Chelsea is a great challenge, a hard challenge for someone of his age, but he seems to have acquitted himself very well.

“His team have responded, which is what you hope for as a manager when you go to a new club. You want an immediate response and he’s got that.”

And the Portuguese conceded taking on Ferguson head to head was a significant challenge.

“We met the other week in Nyon, at the UEFA coaches' conference,” said Villas-Boas. “He was coming out of the loo and I was just there. Seriously.

“We said hello, spoke about Stoke. We are rivals but at this stage, as a manager, I can’t feel like an equal because his CV speaks for itself.

“You just have to praise someone who wins that much in the game. When you look at Ferguson, Mourinho and Guardiola, it’s incredible the amount of time these people win and the amount of passion and how driven they are to be successful.

“It’s something impressive. It’s pretty good to be able to live with these examples at this moment. Hopefully people will see me in the same light in 10 years’ time.”