Van Persie and Rooney: Highly rated by Turner

The Bluebirds' centre-half and his team-mates play host to defending champions United on Sunday, bringing the 25-year-old up against van Persie and Rooney.

Turner has already faced the likes of Sergio Aguero, Fernando Torres and Roberto Soldado this season, but has no doubt who the top sharpshooters are in the division.

He said: "If I had to pick one combination up top, I would probably go for them because they are tried and tested.

"They know they are world class and they know their jobs.

"There are other strike partnerships that could potentially be the best, but I don't think there is a partnership with that many goals or experience, two players at the same club like that."

Despite having seen of Manchester City's vaunted attack earlier in the season, Turner admits he enters every game fully aware of the consequences of not performing at his best.

"Everyone is different and everyone prepares differently. That's the way I have gone into games, ever since I have been in football to be honest," he said.

"The fear of failure drives people on. There is no bigger motivation for me because I don't want to fail.

"That's massive for me in terms of my preparation. I think it goes through the squad.

"There are not many people in our squad who have cut it at the top all their careers, so for lads getting a first crack at it there is no other way to look at it.

"You are not going to stay in the Premier League if you are not performing so I think you have to feel like that."

Turner has experienced success against United before, having been part of the Coventry side that knocked the Red Devils out of the League Cup at Old Trafford back in 2007.

That was against a second-string United team, and he knows the team he faces Sunday will be a different proposition entirely.

"I want to play against the best players. I remember playing against Manchester United in the cup when I was at Coventry and we beat them," he said.

"But it wasn't the first team so whilst it was brilliant to beat them, you still felt it would be great to play against the actual big hitters if you like."

Watch Cardiff v Manchester United on Sky Sports 1 HD this Sunday. Coverage begins at 3.30pm.