Tottenham vs Manchester United: Louis van Gaal backs Wayne Rooney as the best English striker

Ahead of their game against Tottenham at White Hart Lane, Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal believes that Wayne Rooney is still the best England striker in the Premier League. The 30-year-old has been overshadowed by his England teammates Harry Kane and Jamie Vardy who have 22 goals and 19 goals respectively this season but LVG insists that history suggests that they still have a long way to go before being compared to Rooney.

The former Everton striker has been in and out of the squad this season with injury and will miss their crunch game against Tottenham as he recovers from a knee problem he sustained in February. The striker is expected to be back in action for United's FA Cup tie against West Ham United at Upton Park on 13 April which is good news for the England international in his quest to be fit for the European Championships scheduled later this year.

"It always depends on their form because everybody has tendencies in their shape," Van Gaal commented on England's best striker, as quoted by Goal. "It is always like that. Wayne is more like that. Normally he is the best striker, but Harry Kane, how many has he scored? That also counts for a striker and also for Wayne.

"So, it's also dependable on your team, how they are playing, so you cannot say that so easily. But when you see his record he is the best striker."

Tottenham have not won at home against United for the 15th year running while Kane has also failed to score against the Red Devils since being inducted into the Spurs first XI. LVG, whose side needs a win to keep pace in the race for a top-four spot, insists that Kane will find it difficult to score against his team, who have previously managed to thwart his attempts to find the back of the net.

"I cannot remember that he [Kane] scored [against us]," LVG added. "When I say that I am challenging him also, so it's not so smart of me. But we are never defending against just one player. We defend like a team and we defend the attack of Tottenham."