Man Utd would have had another Cristiano Ronaldo if Martin ONeills prediction came true

Solskjaer and Maguire lament Man Utd's lack of discipline in Bern

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Manchester United were dominating the Premier League as Cristiano Ronaldo stormed to his first Ballon d’Or in 2008 – but Martin O’Neill reckoned there was another star that could have been on par with the Portuguese international, besides from Lionel Messi.

Ronaldo has gone on to have an illustrious career with the likes of United, Real Madrid and Juventus, before returning back to Old Trafford this summer.

But 13 years ago Aston Villa boss O’Neill claimed that his rising talent Ashley Young was on the verge of following a similar path.

He was right in one regard; Young went on to step in Ronaldo’s footsteps by joining United in 2011, becoming their new right-winger.

However, the England international never kicked on to challenge for the biggest individual honours in world football.

Ahead of United’s Premier League clash with Aston Villa on Saturday (12.30pm), archived comments from former Villa boss O’Neill have come to light, which had they come true would have left United with another superstar.

“I think Ashley’s a world-class performer, I really do,” O’Neill said in 2008.

“I don’t use [those words] too often but he’s absolutely class. And he’s far from reached his peak.

“If you look at other top quality players who are 22 or 23 and who are absolutely brilliant … you look at people like Ronaldo and [Lionel] Messi and ask how they can improve, but they do, they just get better.”

When asked if Young could realistically be in the same bracket of Ronaldo and Messi, O’Neill added: “Yes. I’ve just put him in it. This is my opinion.

“I look at players; I see a lot of games in Europe, I watch a lot of football and you see a lot of players playing the game who are very functional.

“Some are decent, some are more than decent and some are very good.

“And then you have players who are absolutely exceptional and Ashley Young is absolutely exceptional.

“Could you name me two dozen players in the world who could have scored the second goal that he scored against Everton? [in a 3–2 win for Villa].

“I can’t. To have the presence of mind … in the last minute of a game in which he had worked tirelessly … to have the energy to do it was remarkable.

“To have that poise was world-class.”

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