Picking an Ultimate North West Premier League XI
It's the Manchester derby this weekend, as two of the north west of England's biggest rivals go head-to-head in a battle that is always watched with interest far and wide.
With the five clubs from the region who are currently in the Premier League (Manchester United, Liverpool, Everton, Manchester City and Burnley) having won 51 top-flight titles between them, the north west has always been a hotbed of football, but just who would make the cut if we were to make a team from those currently playing their trade there?
It's a tough ask, and we've got an incredible subs bench, but here we go.
David De Gea
1 of 11
OK, so it's a fairly easy one for starters.
Manchester United's David De Gea takes his place between our posts following his quite rapid rise to superstardom over the past few years at Old Trafford.
From skinny kid out of his depth to one of the world's best and brightest goalkeepers, United fans will only hope that this is the only other team they see him playing for in the near future.
Pablo Zabaleta
2 of 11
Seamus Coleman provided strong competition for the right-back slot, but in the end it has gone to Manchester City's dependable Argentinean Pablo Zabaleta, who has become part of the furniture during his time at the Etihad Stadium.
He's managed to pick up two Premier League titles there too and continues to be a favourite of the City fans, thanks to his never-say-die attitude and constant attempts to join attacks.
Vincent Kompany
3 of 11
He's not had an easy time of it as City's attempts to defend their Premier League title have fallen spectacularly flat in the past few weeks, but Vincent Kompany is still our primary central defender and the man we'll trust to hold together our back four.
The Belgian has lifted two league titles, the FA Cup and the League Cup while with City, where he's progressed from a promising player to one of the best defenders around.
Martin Skrtel
4 of 11
Phil Jagielka, Jonny Evans, Mamadou Sakho and others were all considered for our second centre-back position, but in the end we've gone for Liverpool's hard man Martin Skrtel, who slots in alongside Kompany to make a pretty uncompromising pairing.
The Slovakian uses his physicality and power to try and intimidate opponents, and although his relationship with De Gea might be compromised following a recent stamping incident, we think they can put that behind them for the good of the team.
Daley Blind
5 of 11
Left-back was a tough choice, with Everton's Leighton Baines providing a pretty strong case for his inclusion in our XI.
But Baines pays the price for what has been a poor season for the Blues, and instead he sees his place in the team taken by Manchester United's utility man Daley Blind. The Dutchman can also play in central midfield if need be, but our next team member is the man to start there.
Michael Carrick
6 of 11
It would be easy to try and jam as much attacking talent into our team as possible, but we are going to need a player to sit in defensive midfield and knit everything together.
Step forward Manchester United and England's Michael Carrick, who has proven recently that both his club and his country function better with him at the heart of things pulling the strings, and that will be no different for our team.
Yaya Toure
7 of 11
With Carrick sitting, that allows Manchester City's Ivorian ace Yaya Toure to stride forward and create his special brand of havoc further up the pitch.
Toure scored 20 goals as he won his second league title with City in 2013/14, and although he might have been below those standards this time around, he is still a player who commands huge respect, and he'll certainly get it in this team.
Philippe Coutinho
8 of 11
Time for a dash of style and energy and for that we are going to need Liverpool's Philippe Coutinho.
This season might not have hit the heights that the Reds experienced in the last campaign, but it has at least shown the football world just what the their Brazilian schemer can do, and it earned the former Inter Milan man a place back in his national team's squad in the process. He's been nothing short of a revelation.
David Silva
9 of 11
Onto a bit of flair and creativity and a spot in our team for the mercurial Manchester City and Spain talent David Silva, who, bar the Champions League, has pretty much won every major honour he's ever attempted to win.
City will have to get better in European competition if he is to ever capture that prize while he's with them, but he'll be front and centre in this team's attempts to win whatever it is they try to.
Wayne Rooney
10 of 11
The English obsession with the form of Wayne Rooney means that the Manchester United and England captain can come in for praise and criticism in equal measures depending on just how his performances are perceived.
Now restored in Louis van Gaal's team as a striker, Rooney is back to scoring goals and back to showing everyone just how good he is, which on his day is up there with the very best in the Premier League.
Sergio Aguero
11 of 11
We end with Manchester City's Argentinean ace Sergio Aguero as our man striker, with the former Atletico Madrid man seeing off the likes of Daniel Sturridge, Robin van Persie and Romelu Lukaku to take our No. 9 shirt.
Aguero will forever be remembered for the magical moment which secured City the Premier League title in 2011/12, and although injuries have afflicted him far too often since, he is still a wonderful player to watch and one of the most dangerous around.
