Sunderland manager Gus Poyet has revealed that he didn't think much of Luis Suarez when he first watched him playing back in their native Uruguay.

The Black Cats boss saw the Liverpool striker in his formative years and admitted that he didn't think his compatriot would become one of the top centre-forwards in world football.

The Mirror quotes him as saying: "I went to a friendly game. The big teams play against each other in the summer, and it was a game between Penarol and Nacional.

"Suarez played all right, but not for one minute did I think he would be this good. He was a power striker, playing up front on his own but nothing like the striker we see today.

"I doubted him, but I was wrong! Now people ask: is he the best Uruguay has produced? I say yes, why not? When he came to England and started playing I thought 'Mama mia what a player.'"

Meanwhile, Suarez has claimed that he will be fit for their meeting with England on Thursday, despite undergoing knee surgery at the end of last month.