Creating a Current Ultimate Manchester XI

The battle between the two Manchester clubs is the most exciting in decades. Both clubs are firmly entrenched in a title run in but only one club can succeed.

We've seen Manchester City spend big and acquire a number of top talents. We've also seen the reliable Manchester United engine continue to churn under the supervision of legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson.

Calling the title race is a tough job because the two teams are so evenly matched. If we were to merge the two teams together, what's the best starting 11 we could accumulate?

Furthermore, would this team trouble the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona? Share your views and thoughts.

GK: Joe Hart

Joe Hart has turned into one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League. He's also set to gain well over 100 caps for England barring the most extraordinary of circumstances.

He's a brilliant shot stopper who maintains good concentration. His command of the penalty area is getting better, too. He reminds me more and more of Iker Casillas each time I see him in action.

From Manchester United's perspective, they don't even have a sure-fire first-choice goalkeeper to contest this spot.

David de Gea is possibly the best reflex shot stopper in the Premier League, but he has struggled to cope with the aerial bombardments that have come his way.

Anders Lindegaard has a great record and keeps a clean sheet more often than not, but isn't a well-rounded 'keeper and can't touch Hart at this moment in time.

LB: Patrice Evra

The left-back spot is a bit of a toss-up, but I've opted for Patrice Evra.

Roberto Mancini rotates between Gael Clichy and Aleksander Kolarov, but neither of the players defend particularly well.

Clichy gets the nod in the big games due to his recovery pace and probably edges the contest, but neither can overhaul Evra despite his less than impressive season to date.

The fact remains that the first choice Frenchman is a quality full-back who, in an overall sense, performs his duties better than the City duo.

CB: Vincent Kompany

Captain fantastic Vicent Kompany has been immense so far this season.

Having struggled to command a regular first-team place under Mark Hughes when he first arrived, the Belgian has made himself a mainstay in the side and deserves his captain's armband.

Manchester City really struggled without him during his suspension, defining what an important player he is.

Kompany has been described as one of the best centre-backs in the Premier League. Other teams are actively looking to find their own version of him.

CB: Nemanja Vidic

Nemanja Vidic, although being injured for almost the entire season so far, cannot be ignored when it comes to the best in the business.

It should be noted that Joleon Lescott has had a phenomenal season, one which should have seen him start England's match against Holland on Wednesday night.

But before the Serbian's injury, the dominant centre-back was performing to his usual high standards and is still one of the first names on the team sheet when fit.

He's left a big hole in the Manchester United defence that his teammates have struggled to fill.

RB: Micah Richards

Considering Manchester United can't settle on a right-back at the moment, this one's a bit of an easy choice.

Micah Richards just keeps on performing. Now that Fabio Capello has gone, that breakdown in personal relationships has vanished and his route to the England squad for the European Championships is clear.

Every England fan is breathing a massive sigh of relief about that.

The other contenders for the position are Pablo Zabaleta and Rafael. Zabaleta is an impressive worker but Richards is favoured by Roberto Mancini and rightly so. Rafael is yet to realise his full potential, but the chance is still there.

LW: David Silva

David Silva has been a brilliant purchase for Manchester City, proving his worth in every single game.

His ability to slide in a clever reverse pass is borderline unrivaled, consistently flummoxing defenders and causing havoc in the penalty area.

His long-range passing and vision is spot on. If his shooting were to get just a tiny bit better, he'd be lethal from every angle.

Able to play on either wing or centrally, Silva cuts in with devastating effect.

CM: Yaya Toure

Certainly the best central midfielder in Manchester at the moment, Yaya Toure was sorely missed by Roberto Mancini when he left for the African Cup of Nations.

In the current climate, Toure is a rare breed of central midfielder who is able to attack, defend, pass and shoot. Modern midfields see specialist players perform certain jobs. An example of that is the difference between Wesley Sneijder and Nigel de Jong.

Yaya Toure does it all in midfield and brings pace and power to the equation as well.

CM: Ryan Giggs

There are plenty of options across the board to fill the other central midfield slot, but I'm going to go with Ryan Giggs.

Having just made his 900th appearance for Manchester United, it's got to be said he's a complement to the game and a major contributor to Sir Alex Ferguson's successes over the past several decades.

He's still coming up with the goods even now, as a last-minute winner at Norwich City last weekend can testify.

He's a calm, experienced and talented presence I'd want in the midfield of any team.

RW: Antonio Valencia

Antonio Valencia is a model professional.

He's battled back from a few bad injuries and still represents one of the most consistent wingers in the Premier League.

Nani has blown hot and cold so far this season as has Ashley Young, but the Ecuadorian wide man represents continuity on Sir Alex Ferguson's lineup.

Valencia recently split from his agent, claiming he didn't need one. He's at Manchester United. He doesn't want to leave the club. So why would he require one?

Every other professional footballer take notes, please.

ST: Wayne Rooney

Wayne Rooney has mustered 18 goals and three assists from 19 appearances as a centre forward so far this season.

That's a pretty impressive record. If it weren't for the rampant form of Arsenal striker Robin van Persie, we'd be talking about Rooney's form a lot more.

It all looked very promising for England until he got himself suspended for the first two games at the European Championships. Let's hope he can stay fit, continue his form and make a big impact at a late stage in Ukraine and Poland.

We don't want a repeat of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. That's for sure.

ST: Sergio Aguero

Sergio Aguero has firmly established himself as one of the best strikers in the world, having moved to the Premier League and comprehensively making the grade.

There were some doubts initially about settling in periods and the need to adapt to the English game, but Aguero came on for his debut and scored a cracker.

We knew then that he would be immense. To be honest, it's no surprise. He has the perfect combination of speed and low centre of gravity. He can accelerate away from defences, dance his way through the penalty area and display the core strength needed to stay on his feet.

Notable Absentees

Paul Scholes—Another legend, but I went for Ryan Giggs instead. Scholes hasn't played too much this season after he had initially retired. Although he's back to his best now, he looked shaky to start with.

Joleon Lescott— Lescott has had an unbelievable season and is desperately unlucky to miss out.

Mario Balotelli—If the team was judged on entertainment values, Mario 'Banterelli' would be the first name on the team sheet. As it stands, he gets pipped by Sergio Aguero. Just.

Javier Hernandez—Another brilliant striker who gets edged by Wayne Rooney. Hernandez has seen a little less game time this season and just misses out, but he's still one of the most natural strikers we've seen in decades.