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They might not be doing so well right now, but there’s no disputing that Manchester United are the Premier League’s most successful club.
Since the Premier League’s inaugural season in 1992-93, Manchester United have claimed the league title on an incredible 13 occasions. They’ve also won the Champions League twice and have claimed five FA Cups and four EFL Cups.
Naturally, all of this means that Old Trafford has been home to some of the greatest players to grace the game during the Premier League era. So with nearly three decades of action to look back at, who would make it into Manchester United’s greatest XI in the Premier League era?
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To start with, it’s very tricky to decide on a formation for a side like this. After all, Sir Alex Ferguson – the most successful United boss during the Premier League era – often used varying systems, from 4-4-2 to 4-3-3.
For the purposes of this article, though, we’re going with a 4-4-2 line-up, if only to attempt to fit in United’s greatest players during this time period. Even then, some genuine greats have been left out.
Without further ado, then, here is Manchester United’s greatest XI in the Premier League era.
Goalkeeper: Peter Schmeichel
Both David de Gea and Edwin Van Der Sar probably have an argument to be included in this team. But realistically, neither man can compete with the great Peter Schmeichel. Signed by United in 1991 for a paltry fee of just over £500k, the Danish international made their #1 jersey his own for the best part of a decade.
Schmeichel commanded his defense like no other. He was often seen bawling instructions at the likes of Gary Neville and Steve Bruce. Moreover, Schmeichel was blessed with every physical tool needed to be a great keeper.
At 6’3”, the Dane was a giant of a man who could seemingly make himself bigger when faced with an oncoming attacker. But he was also incredibly athletic and capable of pulling off incredible reflex saves. And while he wasn’t a sweeper-keeper, his accurate long throwing ability set up plenty of goals during his time at Old Trafford.
Schmeichel won five Premier League titles, three FA Cups, one EFL Cup, and the 1999 Champions League during his time at Manchester United. He remains widely recognized as the Premier League’s greatest-ever goalkeeper.
Right-Back: Gary Neville
One of Manchester United’s legendary Class of 92 graduates, Gary Neville was arguably the first of that group to really establish himself as a United regular. As a 19-year-old, he broke into the first team in 1994-95 to replace Paul Parker as the Red Devils’ first-choice right-back. Neville never really relinquished his spot until his retirement in 2011.
A consummate professional, even as a youngster, Neville gave off the air of a hardened professional. Never a flashy player, the right-back instead made consistency his greatest strength. Neville could never be accused of giving anything less than 100% for Manchester United.
Capable of brilliant defending and adept at pinging an accurate cross into the opposition’s penalty area, Neville was a one-club man and made over 600 appearances for United, 400 of them in the Premier League.
Now renowned as a television pundit following his 2011 retirement, there’s probably a fair argument to suggest that United have never truly replaced Neville, such was his consistency and greatness.
Centre-Back: Rio Ferdinand
Manchester United were forced to break the British transfer record to bring Rio Ferdinand to Old Trafford from Leeds in 2002. The Red Devils paid £30m for the England international’s services, but it’s fair to say that he was worth every penny in hindsight.
Renowned for his passing ability, vision, and calmness when on the ball, Ferdinand formed a defensive partnership with Nemanja Vidic that blended the Englishman’s skill with the Serbian’s steel. And to say the rest of the Premier League found it hard to get past the duo would be an understatement.
Over his 12-season career at Manchester United, Ferdinand made over 450 appearances for the Red Devils, with 312 of them coming in the Premier League. He helped his side win the Premier League title on six occasions and won three EFL Cups and the 2008 Champions League.
A decade after his prime, Ferdinand is still widely considered one of the greatest defenders in Premier League history. And it’s a no-brainer that he’d be considered in Manchester United’s greatest Premier League XI.
Centre-Back: Jaap Stam
It would’ve been easy to select Ferdinand’s defensive partner Nemanja Vidic for this spot, while others such as Steve Bruce and Gary Pallister also have a fair claim. However, for the impact he had on the 1998-99 treble-winning Manchester United side, Jaap Stam deserves a spot in their greatest Premier League XI.
Signed for a fee of just over £10m from PSV Eindhoven – making him the most expensive defender in football history at the time – Stam joined Manchester United in the summer of 1998. The Dutchman had an immediate impact when it came to shoring up their defense.
Stam was the constant in the Red Devils’ backline of what was their most successful ever season. Whether he was partnering with Ronny Johnsen or Henning Berg didn’t seem to matter, Stam was a colossus. And in his first season, he helped Manchester United to win the Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League.
Following 1998-99, Stam only spent another two full seasons at Old Trafford. And while he won another two Premier League titles, his final campaign was curtailed with injury.
Meanwhile, the 2001-02 season saw him leave United under a black cloud, harming his legacy somewhat. However, the impact he made in his debut season makes him worth of a spot here.
Left-Back: Denis Irwin
With all respect to Patrice Evra – who spent nine seasons at Old Trafford and won five Premier League titles – the only choice when it comes to Manchester United’s greatest left-back in the Premier League era is Denis Irwin.
Sir Alex Ferguson described the Irishman as one of his greatest-ever signings. And considering he cost just £625k in 1990, he’d also be considered one of his greatest bargains. Irwin ended up spending a total of 12 seasons at Old Trafford, making over 500 appearances in the process.
One of the most consistent and reliable defenders in Premier League history, Irwin was never the fastest left-back, but few wingers were capable of getting past him. And the Irish international was also more than capable in attack. A dead-ball expert, Irwin scored 33 goals in his United career, 18 of them coming in the Premier League.
Irwin’s career at Manchester United came to an end in the summer of 2002, when he left the club on a free transfer. During his time at Old Trafford, he won seven Premier League titles, two FA Cups, one EFL Cup, as well as three European trophies, including the 1999 Champions League.
Right-Wing: Cristiano Ronaldo
Okay, so it might be cheating a little to have Cristiano Ronaldo in this side as a right-winger. After all, the Portuguese international enjoyed his greatest successes at Manchester United as part of a front trio alongside Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez.
However, Ronaldo began his Manchester United career playing on the right-wing. And with respect to David Beckham – arguably Manchester United’s best pure right midfielder - it’s safe to say that CR7 warrants a spot in the Red Devils’ greatest Premier League XI more than almost any other player.
Signed in the summer of 2003 as an inexperienced 18-year-old, Ronaldo took time to develop at Old Trafford. Often criticized for being too flashy, his early years saw him struggle to really produce goals. He scored just 18 in his first three Premier League campaigns.
However, something changed in the summer of 2006. Ronaldo returned from that year’s World Cup as a physical monster and began to score goals by the bagful.
The 2006-07 season saw him help Manchester United regain the Premier League title, and 2007-08 was even better. That season saw him score a ridiculous 42 goals in 49 appearances across all competitions.
He won the Ballon d'Or in the process, as the Red Devils retained the Premier League title and also won the Champions League.
Ronaldo spent one more season at Old Trafford, scoring another 26 goals and helping the team to win another Premier League title. When he departed for Real Madrid in the summer of 2009, he did so as a genuine legend.
Central Midfield: Roy Keane
The most decorated Irish footballer in the history of the game, Roy Keane won a total of 17 major trophies during his time at Manchester United, including seven Premier League titles, four FA Cups, and the Champions League. However, it isn’t his trophy haul that earns him a spot in this side.
Simply put, few players in football history possessed the sheer will to win of Keane. The Irish international brought a level of intensity rarely seen in football to the Manchester United side. And his teammates were often driven to even higher levels by Keane’s incredibly high standards.
Keane was also an underrated player from a technical standpoint. An early example of a box-to-box midfielder, Keane could shield a defense with his ferocious tackling ability and willingness to break up opposition play.
However, he was also adept at making late runs into the box to score key goals – as he did against Leeds and Newcastle in the 1995-96 title-winning season.
Keane ended up leaving Old Trafford under somewhat of a shadow, ushered out of the club by Sir Alex Ferguson after criticizing some of his younger teammates.
However, the drive and determination he showed while playing for Manchester United contributed greatly to their success in the Premier League era, and he remains an all-time club great.
Central Midfield: Paul Scholes
Another member of the famed Class of 92, Paul Scholes initially broke through into Manchester United’s first team as a dangerous forward who had a tendency to pop up and score key goals during big matches. However, as his career progressed, he settled into a role as a world-class central midfielder.
Scholes never lost the ability to score goals – the 2002-03 season, for instance, saw him deliver 20 in all competitions. But his game became so much more than that. The England international was capable of playing some incredible passes, could use both feet, and was able to dictate the pace of a game from the center of the pitch.
Later in his career, Scholes’ contributions to the side never really waned. He came out of retirement to play one final season in 2012-13, helping Manchester United to win one more Premier League title, Scholes’ 11th overall.
Rated as one of the finest midfielders of his generation by the likes of Xavi, Andrea Pirlo, Pep Guardiola, and Gareth Southgate, Scholes was not the flashiest player. Howe he was definitely one of the men who made his United sides tick.
Left-Wing: Ryan Giggs
United’s all-time record holder for competitive appearances, Ryan Giggs spent 24 years as part of Manchester United’s first team, making a total of 963 appearances for the club overall.
During that time, he won a total of 34 major trophies with Manchester United, including 13 Premier League titles and two Champions Leagues – making him one of the most decorated footballers of all time.
Giggs first broke into the Red Devils’ first team in the 1990-91 season, two years before the start of the Premier League era. By the time the Premier League began, the Welsh international was recognized as one of the world’s best young players. Giggs had already become a pin-up for young fans.
From there, Giggs went from strength to strength, using his silky dribbling skills to torment Premier League defenders from the left side for years. By the time his career ended in 2014, Giggs had scored a total of 109 goals in Premier League matches. He’d also claimed the competition’s all-time record for assists with 162.
After being named in the PFA Team of the Year on six occasions, the 2008-09 season saw him not only win the Premier League title, but be named the PFA Player’s Player of the Year, too.
It was a fitting tribute to a legend of Manchester United and the Premier League as a whole.
Forward: Eric Cantona
Selecting the forwards in a side like this was almost impossible, especially when you consider the names that have been left out. The likes of Robin van Persie, Dwight Yorke, Ruud Van Nistelrooy, and Andrew Cole could easily have been named in this side. However, one player who has to be a definite is Eric Cantona.
The mercurial Frenchman was signed from Leeds for just £1m during the inaugural Premier League season and had an immediate impact. He made 22 appearances in the league, scoring nine goals and helping Manchester United to become the first-ever Premier League champions.
Cantona was even better in 1993-94, scoring 25 goals in all competitions as Manchester United won a Premier League and FA Cup double, but even better was still to come.
Before that, though, Cantona had to face plenty of demons. He was banned from football for nine months following a bizarre attack on a Crystal Palace fan in January 1995.
When he returned, the Frenchman was a man on a mission. In one of the greatest single runs of any player in Premier League history, Cantona almost single-handedly inspired Manchester United to the 1995-96 Premier League title. He scored 14 goals, including five winners in 1-0 victories.
The 1996-97 season saw the Frenchman captain United to another Premier League title. And then, abruptly, he stunned the football world by hanging up his boots at the age of just 31.
The Premier League’s original overseas superstar, Cantona paved the way for the likes of Bergkamp, Henry, and Ronaldo to succeed in England. Nearly 25 years after his retirement, he remains a Premier League legend.
Forward: Wayne Rooney
Wayne Rooney's career at Manchester United ended with more of a whimper than a bang. He slowly slipped out of the first XI in the 2016-17 season and then left for Everton on a free transfer. But it would've been unfair to leave him out of this team.
Not only did Rooney become one of Manchester United's most successful players, but he also became their all-time top scorer, breaking the record once held by Sir Bobby Charlton.
In the end, Rooney left Old Trafford having scored a total of 253 goals in 559 games. He won a total of 16 major trophies along the way, including five Premier League titles, the 2008 Champions League, and the 2017 Europa League.
And of course, for the Manchester United fans who primarily remember the slower Rooney from his latter days at the club, it's easy to forget what a force of nature he was when he initially arrived from Everton. At that point - late 2004 - Rooney was probably the best young talent on the planet.
And at Manchester United, he proved that time after time again. Who could forget his debut hat-trick against Fenerbahce or his vicious volleyed goal against Newcastle United in Premier League action?
It's arguable that Rooney peaked relatively early in his career, in the 2007-08 season. The England striker was still just 22 years old at that point. But he formed one of Europe's deadliest attacking forces alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez. The trio ran roughshod over most opposing defenses.
Even as he aged, Rooney was still capable of magical moments. His overhead kick against Manchester City and curving free-kick against Stoke City - the goal that broke United's goal record - stand out.
Even though it's arguable that he never really reached his potential, there's still no denying Rooney's impact on Manchester United's fortunes. He remains an icon at the club and more than deserves his spot in this side.
