Picking a Combined Manchester United-Liverpool XI from the Premier League Era
Manchester United and Liverpool will meet at Old Trafford on Sunday with both teams at something of a low ebb.
Louis van Gaal has been charged with rebuilding United after a miserable season under David Moyes. Brendan Rodgers, meanwhile, is still trying to work out a way to compensate for the loss of Luis Suarez.
But they are still English football's two most successful clubs, and at different times during the Premier League era, they've boasted some of the best players in the world.
Here's a combined XI from the best players to play for United and Liverpool in the Premier League. Feel free to agree, disagree or add yours in the comments section below.
Peter Schmeichel
1 of 11
Like many of the players in the combined XI, Peter Schmeichel isn't just one of the best goalkeepers to play in this fixture. He's one of the best goalkeepers to have played in the Premier League.
Signed in 1991, he was part of Sir Alex Ferguson's team that ended Liverpool's domestic dominance before leaving in 1999 on the back of a treble-winning season.
Gary Neville
2 of 11
A full-back who could attack and defend, Gary Neville was one of the best in the Premier League during his time at United.
His dislike of Liverpool when he was a player inspired the fans' song "Gary Neville is a Red, he hates Scousers." His celebration after Rio Ferdinand's winner in 2006 showed just what winning the fixture meant to him.
Denis Irwin
3 of 11
Like Schmeichel, Denis Irwin arrived at United at a time when Sir Alex Ferguson was still plotting how to overthrow Liverpool as the kings of English football.
By the time Irwin left in 2002, he had won seven Premier League titles while Liverpool still haven't won a championship since 1990. Despite being right-footed, Irwin spent most of his career as a left-back, scoring 33 goals, many of them penalties and free-kicks, in 529 games.
Jaap Stam
4 of 11
Nemanja Vidic is unlucky not to get a place in the XI, but he had some of his worst moments in a United shirt against Liverpool and Fernando Torres in particular.
Jaap Stam only spent three full seasons at United, but he won the title in each of them. It was one of Sir Alex Ferguson's biggest mistakes to let the Dutchman go so early.
Rio Ferdinand
5 of 11
One of the most memorable moments of Rio Ferdinand's United career came against Liverpool. With the game at Old Trafford in January 2006 goalless, Ferdinand scored a 90th-minute winner to send the United faithful berserk and trigger Gary Neville's famous celebration in front of the travelling Liverpool fans.
Roy Keane
6 of 11
Xabi Alonso would push Roy Keane close for a place in the team. But you can't pick everyone. Keane was a fearsome midfielder who could pass, tackle and score goals.
He was especially at home in the heat of battle in the fiery encounters with Liverpool during his 12 years at Old Trafford.
Steven Gerrard
7 of 11
United have been far more successful than Liverpool in the Premier League era, so it's only to be expected that more United players make the cut in a combined XI.
But Steven Gerrard would have got into even the finest of United's title-winning teams. At his best, he's got it all—vision, aggression and an eye for goal.
Paul Scholes
8 of 11
Paul Scholes was one of the cornerstones of Sir Alex Ferguson's most successful teams. In 20 years as a player at Old Trafford, he won 11 Premier League titles as Ferguson did what he set out to do when he arrived from Aberdeen and knocked Liverpool off their perch.
Cristiano Ronaldo
9 of 11
Cristiano Ronaldo only scored twice for United against Liverpool in six years at Old Trafford. But he was one of the best players to play in the Premier League.
His speed, strength, skill and technique are good enough to get into any team in the world, including a combined XI from United and Liverpool.
Eric Cantona
10 of 11
Some of Eric Cantona's most famous moments came against Liverpool. It was against Liverpool that he made his return from his ban for his kung-fu kick against Crystal Palace, scoring a penalty in a 2-2 draw at Old Trafford in October 1995.
And at the end of that season, in the 1996 FA Cup final, he scored a late winner against Liverpool to hand United their second double in three years.
Luis Suarez
11 of 11
Luis Suarez didn't spend that long at Liverpool. But by the time he left Anfield this summer, he was one of the best players in the world.
His 31 goals in 33 Premier League games last season—including one in the 3-0 win over United at Old Trafford—almost won Liverpool the title.
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