Leighton Baines tips Luis Suarez to star at the World Cup

Everton defender Leighton Baines has backed Liverpool striker Luis Suarez to be one of the stars of the World Cup.

The Uruguay forward underwent knee surgery last month, but is expected to be fit for the Brazil tournament.

England play La Celeste on June 19, and Baines, who is likely to be in the starting lineup in Brazil, thinks that the Uruguayan will be one of the outstanding players in the competition.

He told the Liverpool Echo: "Suarez is a top player and he'll be one of the stars of the tournament who will be expected to do really well. We'll have to make sure that we're at our best to cope with him.

"At this level you know about all the players. All the lads will know about the English-based players in the tournament. We've had some good work and some good warm-up games and hopefully it will be an exciting summer.

"The way we play at Everton is very much suited to international football you'd imagine. We're patient in possession at times and then the types of different mechanisms we use are similar to a lot of the things we'd use in the national team."

Suarez scored 31 Premier League goals last term en route to winning the LMA and PFA Player of the Year awards.