Rossi ready to rock United

PATRICE EVRA is not surprised by Giuseppe Rossi's rise to the big time.

The Italian youngster quit Manchester United for Villarreal last year and comes head-to-head with his old side in the Champions League tomorrow.

Rossi, 21, struggled for chances at Old Trafford but boss Alex Ferguson inserted a buy-back clause into the £6.6million deal.

And Evra claims the striker's emergence should not shock fans.

The United defender said: “I knew he was going to be a good player.

“It was easy. Everybody knows Giuseppe Rossi. If you give him the ball in the box he will score every time.

“He is such a good professional. I am not surprised what he is doing now.

“When he left Manchester United I could only wish him all the best but not against us tomorrow.

“It is not easy to break through at Manchester United.

“When I arrived Gabriel Heinze and Mikael Silvestre were already here so you had three players for one position.

“And you see the strikers and it is even worse.

"We have Dimitar Berbatov, Carlos Tevez and Wayne Rooney. Cristiano Ronaldo can play up there and Ryan Giggs as well.

“You see all the names and realise just how hard it is. Believe me, just because Giuseppe Rossi did not play very often for Manchester United is not really a reflection on his talent."