After Manchester United's record breaking title win at Ewood Park last Saturday afternoon, all the talk has been about United's playing squad and manager. This squad was deemed one of the worst in Sir Alex's reign as manager, yet it has just won a record 19th league title and is in the final of the UEFA Champions League. So if this was the weakest, what was the strongest? I look at the best 18 players to play for Manchester United in the Premier League since its inception in 1992 and a closer look at Sir Alex Ferguson's incredible Premiership record.
Starting XI [4-4-2]
Goalkeeper
Peter Schmeichel
Games: 252 | Goals: 1
The Great Dane as he was known to his beloved fans, Peter Schmeichel is without doubt Manchester United's greatest ever Premier League goalkeeper. There from the start in 1992 until he left for a new challenge in 1999, the Danish international notched up 252 games, and also won 5 Premier League trophies as well as numerous other trophies for the club.
Right Back
Gary Neville
Games: 400 | Goals: 5
Gary Neville is arguably Manchester United's greatest ever right back, and having made his Premier League debut for the Red Devils in the 1993/94 season, he played his entire career for the Old Trafford club and only retired in February 2011 after playing an incredible 400 league games for the club. He won the Premier League an amazing 8 times, two of those while he was captain.
Left Back
Denis Irwin
Games: 296 | Goals: 22
Denis Irwin is Manchester United's most successful left back in their history, having won 19 trophies with the club during his 12 years here. He was an expert with free-kicks and penalties, and was Manchester United's first choice left back well into his thirties. The Republic of Ireland defender won 7 Premier League trophies during his time at Old Trafford and is regarded by Sir Alex Ferguson as "pound for pound, my greatest ever signing".
Centre Back
Nemanja Vidic*
Games: 160 | Goals: 16
Nemanja Vidic is a no nonsense central defender and is current captain of Manchester United Football Club. A £7M signing from Spartak Moscow, he has formed a formidable partnership at the heart of the defence with Rio Ferdinand and has won 4 Premier League trophies, including this seasons win which will be his first as captain.
Centre Back
Gary Pallister
Games: 317 | Goals: 12
Gary Pallister was at the heart of the Manchester United defence for 9 years and was part of the defence that dominated the English Premier League for the first years after its inception in 1992. After forming a solid pairing with Steve Bruce he won 4 Premier League titles with Manchester United before moving back to Middlesbrough to retire.
Right Midfield
David Beckham
Games: 265 | Goals: 62
David Beckham just edges out Cristiano Ronaldo to the right midfield spot, due to his success and incredible partnership with Gary Neville on the right hand side of the pitch for Manchester United, not to mention his incredible ability to pass a ball with sublime accuracy from 60 yards away and his dead ball specialities. The former England captain played 265 times for Manchester United in the Premier League and won 6 Premier League titles as well as numerous other trophies with his boyhood club. Beckham moved on to Real Madrid from United in 2003, and currently plays for LA Galaxy in the MLS.
Left Midfield
Ryan Giggs
Games: 573 | Goals: 105
Arguably Manchester United's greatest ever player. The Welsh wizard is our all time top appearance maker, the Premier League's all time top appearance maker and possibly the greatest outfield player to ever grace the Premier League stage. He incredibly has more Premier League titles than any other club put together, at 12 and has won many more trophies during the reign of Sir Alex Ferguson. Currently bossing the midfields for United at the tender age of just 37, he is sure to go down as one of the greatest British footballers of all time. Arise, Sir Ryan Giggs.
Central Midfield
Paul Scholes
Games: 465 | Goals: 102
The Ginger Prince is possibly Manchester United's greatest central midfielder in Premier League history, with over 100 goals for the club in the league and 9 Premier League winners medals to his name. He has transformed his game with age, from goalscoring midfielder - to deep lying play maker pinging passes 40 yards with absolute precision. Expected to retire at the end of this season, he is guaranteed his place in Manchester United and Premier League history folklore.
Central Midfield
Roy Keane (C)
Games: 326 | Goals: 33
Manchester United's most successful Premier League captain with 7 Premier League wins to his name and over 300 appearances in the competition for the club. The midfield enforcer was a key figure throughout his time at the club holding the midfield but also chipping in with his fair share of goals. Always vocal, not scared of anyone and it ultimately led to his downfall as he left Old Trafford on a sour note, but still in all the fans hearts.
Striker
Eric Cantona
Games: 143 | Goals: 64
Eric Cantona, the King of Old Trafford. Only played for Manchester United for 5 seasons before calling an end to his career shockingly, but is still regarded as one of our best strikers in recent memory. Cantona made the Number 7 shirt his own during his spell at the club and was also captain at the club during his final year. His memorable goals and character have kept him in the heart of the fans to this day, so he was an automatic choice in the striker position.
Striker
Ruud Van Nistelrooy
Games: 150 | Goals: 95
Ruud Van Nistelrooy is possibly Manchester United's most prolific goalscorer in Premier League history, having scored an incredible 95 goals in 150 league games over 5 seasons in the competition. The Dutch striker joined for £19M from PSV Eindhoven and had an immediate impact scoring 23 league goals in his debut season and kept up the goals throughout his spell. The perfect poacher, and a perfect partner for the King.
Substitutes
Edwin Van Der Sar
Games: 185*
Greatest goalkeeper Manchester United have had this century. Will be sadly missed when he retires at the end of the season. The Dutchman has won 4 Premier League titles with the Old Trafford club.
Steve Bruce
Games: 143
A superb captain during his 4 seasons in the Premier League, and was the captain for the majority of the first Premier League season due to Captain Marvel Bryan Robson being injured for much of the campaign. The now Sunderland manager won 3 Premier League trophies with the Red Devils.
Patrice Evra
Games: 168*
Manchester United's current first choice left back has been a great servant to the club since signing for £5.5M from Monaco. The Frenchman has won 4 Premier League trophies so far during his time at the club, and will look to add to that tally again next season.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Games: 196
The Portuguese winger is the best player Old Trafford has seen in recent memory and only just missed out on the starting line up. He scored an incredible 84 Premier League goals in his 6 seasons at the club, 30 of those coming in his penultimate season. He moved to Real Madrid for a World Record £80M after winning his 3rd Premier League title.
Bryan Robson
Games: 29
Didn't manage more than half a season in the two Premier League seasons he was a Manchester United player, but you can't not have Captain Marvel in the squad considering he won the trophy on both occasions. Manchester United's longest serving captain, he scored 2 Premier League goals before leaving for Middlesbrough.
Ole Gunnar Solsksjaer
Games: 231
The Baby Faced Assassin scored 91 Premier League goals during his 12 seasons with the club, although he didn't take part at all in 2 of those seasons through injury. Remembered for his winning goal in the dying minutes of the 99 Champions League final, he will always be remembered as Manchester United's super sub and as a lethal finisher. He won 6 Premier League trophies during his time at Old Trafford.
Wayne Rooney
Games: 216
The England striker joined Manchester United as a teenage sensation for £30M and is the new king of the Stretford End. He has scored 103 league goals for the club including the penalty that clinched the record 19th league title vs Blackburn last weekend. A superstar, and a legend in the making at Old Trafford has won 4 Premier League trophies, and wants many more.
Manager
MAN UTD IN PL: THE NUMBERS*
733 matches
132 players used
471 wins
158 draws
104 defeats
1448 goals scored
625 goals conceded
1571 points won
Top Scorers: Giggs (105), Scholes (102), Rooney (102)
Most Appearances: Giggs (573), Scholes (465), G Neville (400)
Sir Alex Ferguson, the greatest manager in the history of the Premier League. He has won 12 of the 19 Premier League titles and has rebuilt squad after squad. He has single handedly turned Manchester United into the most successful English team in history, taking them from 7 league titles, and surpassing arch rivals Liverpool's total of 18 and now sits on 19. He's still going strong, what will he get to before he hangs up his chalkboard and takes a seat in the retirement chair.
* Numbers are correct as of May 18th 2011
Good one, but i would like to see Rio and Stam as CB. Rio was classy defender and he is as good as any CB this decade, Stam was just Stam. No words can describe him.
ReplyDeletePretty easy tbh. Put our 1998-99 team, and that will be our best 11 bar few players. Such was the team we had. Superb.
And also i felt it was harsh not to select Ronaldo who was the key player in our best spell. It was always too hard for ManUtd fans to pick one among Beckham and Ronaldo but most non Mancs would say Ronaldo..