The biggest game of the season is upon us! Forget Manchester City, Liverpool or Spurs; growing up in Nigeria, this match means the most to both sets of fans. These two clubs have had some of the greatest players the Premier League has seen and with the upcoming fixture at the Emirates; I’ve decided to look at the ultimate combined XI of these two great teams. Who would make your XI?
The team will play in a classic 442 system.
Goalkeeper
There are some great keepers to choose from in this section. Seaman, Van der Sar, Lehmann and Schmeichel are the standouts. Lehmann, for all his eccentricities, was undisputedly top class. He doesn’t always get the credit he deserves despite being the keeper for arguably the greatest side English football has seen and for his record breaking run of clean sheets on the way to the Champions League final. Despite Seaman’s achievements for club and country, he comes third in this battle, with Van der Sar and Schmeichel being a cut above.
The two United stoppers are difficult to separate. Edwin brought experience and serenity to Manchester United. His acquisition coincided with one of the most successful periods in the club’s history. Schmeichel on the other hand was an absolute freak of nature. He made bewildering, match winning saves time and time again. Although not as good as Edwin with his feet, he had an aura about him that sent shivers down opposition strikers. He was a giant in more ways than one. He is the best keeper in Premier League history and undoubtedly the number 1 in this XI.
GK: Peter Schmeichel.
Right Back
This is a straight battle between Lauren and Gary Neville. Lee Dixon is a worthy mention but never provided the sort of attacking thrust these two were capable of. Neville and Lauren were emblematic of the modern day full back, incessantly overlapping and supporting their team’s attack. Lauren was an outstanding footballer, although he lacked the consistency and mental fortitude of his English counterpart. Lauren was much better technically and had with greater skill, but he also had a mistake in him. Neville on the other hand knew his limitations and was proficient at doing the basics. He and his best mate Beckham had a telepathic relationship down the right hand side and he was an excellent crosser. This is a difficult one to call but consistency is the most important part of football and Gary Neville epitomizes this.
RB: Gary Neville.
Centre Backs
Tony Adams is the best defender in Premier League history bar none. Mr. Arsenal won numerous individual and team accolades and is the only captain to win the League in 3 different decades. Good on the ball and almost unbeatable in one on one situations, he is English football’s answer to Maldini and has rightly been immortalized outside the Emirates stadium. His partner has to be Rio Ferdinand who is my personal favorite; the most elegant defender I’ve ever seen. He revolutionized defending in England, with his passing range and ability to bring the ball out confidently from the back. In today’s game, managers constantly seek defenders with these attributes and this is largely down to Rio. He was the antithesis of the typical English defender.
CB: Tony Adams & Rio Ferdinand
Left Back
Ashley Cole was top class in every facet of his game and was one of the key components of Arsenal’s Invincibles. Interestingly, Dennis Irwin, and not Patrice Evra, is Cole’s closest challenger. One of Fergie’s best ever buys, his all round game was superb and he was a set piece specialist. Still, Cole showed himself to be a level above these other two, providing unmatched consistency before his acrimonious departure to Chelsea.
LB: Ashley Cole
Right Midfield
Beckham and Ljungberg are notable mentions, but the outstanding talent and arguably the best player in the team is Cristiano Ronaldo. He holds the record for the most Premier League goals scored in a season, with 31.
Joining as a precocious teenager from Portugal, it took him time to acclimatize, but during his last three seasons at the club, he performed at a level few can match. He led United to three Premier League titles on the trot and back-to-back Champions League finals. He is also the only player on this team to have won the Balon D’or. Easiest decision so far.
RM: Cristiano Ronaldo
Left Midfield
French class vs. Welsh speed. This is one of the more difficult ones if you’re judging solely on ability. On the left side of Arsenal’s Invincibles, Robert Pires and his compatriot Thierry Henry had an understanding unlike any other. His spatial awareness allowed him drift in and out of his role, allowing Henry the freedom to make his trademark runs from the left. He was not only a great passer but also an adept finisher and its often forgotten how strong he was (despite the diving). Playing as inverted winger; a role that was uncommon at the time, Pires had a vastly superior goal-scoring ratio to Giggs.
His opponent, Giggs, was very different. Rapid, skillful, and with a peach of a left foot, he was every strikers’ dream. Yet it was only until he reached the final third of his career that Giggs’ football intelligence and inventiveness really became obvious. This left-midfielder was more than just a speed merchant – as evidenced by his ability to adapt and play until the ripe old age of 40. This blend of physical resilience, mental alertness and technical skill is what gives him the edge over Pires. At 37, Aston Villa released Pires, while that same year, Giggs started in the Champions League final against Barcelona. That’s the difference.
LM: Ryan Giggs
Center Midfield
Arsenal vs. Manchester United was always a ferocious battle, and central midfield was the battleground. Vieira and Keane’s mutual disdain for each other defined this fixture for almost a decade; both fierce leaders, they could both play as well – Vieira slightly more so, as he was the more forward thinking of the two. Despite regularly playing alongside more defensive players like Gilberto and Petit, Arsenal never lacked drive or creativity from the center. Although I have great admiration for Keane, Vieira had slightly more to his game and makes my XI.
In a successful 442 formation, you need a pass master, and they don’t come much better than Scholes or Fabregas. These two are arguably the best passers the Premier League has ever seen. Scholes pips Cesc for me personally for length of service to his club, his tenacity and his goal scoring. Fabregas will probably admit he could have scored a few more. For me it’s a relatively easy choice, Scholes could do everything Cesc does slightly better and more.
CM: Paul Scholes and Patrick Vieira
Strikers
This position took me the longest time to decide. The reason these clubs have been so successful in the Premier League era is due to the options they’ve had in this position over the years. Solksjaer, Bergkamp, Cantona, Cole, Yorke, Rooney, Van Persie, the list is endless. However two men stand out from the rest, Thierry Henry and Ruud van Nistelrooy. Ruud might not be everyone’s cup of tea but he was the most clinical striker the Premier League has seen; he scored like his life depended on it.
Henry had absolutely everything, pace, power, skill and ruthless finishing. He had an aura about him that put doubt in the minds of defenders before the match even started. He’s the icing on the cake.
With 378 goals between them and with both averaging a goal less than every 2 games, this team would be unbeatable.
ST: Thierry Henry & Ruud van Nistelrooy
Manager
Arsene Wenger is a great manager but Sir Alex was a serial winner. He won 28 major honours for Manchester United and is arguably the greatest manager of all time.
Sir Alex Ferguson
Subs:
1. Edwin Van der Sar
2. Dennis Bergkamp
3. Nemanja Vidic
4. Robert Pires
5. Dennis Irwin
6. Roy Keane
7. Cesc Fabregas