Moyes backs Rooney, Van Persie to 'fire' Man U to Champions League win 'against all odds'

Manchester United boss David Moyes has challenged his star players Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie to emulate the achievements of Liverpool in 2005 and Chelsea in 2012 by overcoming inconsistent domestic form to capture Europe's top club prize against all the odds.

The talismanic strikers have missed a big chunk of Moyes' first campaign as United manager but both are back to full fitness and form just in time for the re-start of the Champions League.

According to the Daily Express, Moyes is hoping that Rooney and Van Persie can put a positive aspect on United's troubled season as he is aware that with a top four place in the Premier League looking unlikely, United will almost certainly have to win the Champions League to ensure they are in it next season.

However, Moyes is drawing some confidence from statistics that show in the 36 times Rooney and Van Persie have started together in all competitions over the last two seasons, United have won 26, drawn eight and lost only two games, and the Scot said that United's record with the duo is much better than without them.

Ahead of United's last-16 first leg with Olympiakos at Old Trafford, Moyes also said that both the players have got themselves back into great shape and both are goal scorers.

The report mentioned that Rooney and Van Persie have started only one Champions League game together this season - the first group game against Bayer Leverkusen when they were both on the score sheet in a 4-2 win.

However, Van Persie has hit the ground running since returning from a thigh injury, scoring four times in five games while Rooney celebrated the signing of his new five-and-a-half year contract with his first goal of 2014 at Crystal Palace on Saturday, the report added.