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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.
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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.
