Gary Neville Questions Sir Alex Ferguson over Manchester United World-Class List

Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville has questioned Sir Alex Ferguson's four-man list of world-class players he coached while managing at Old Trafford, suggesting two more should be added.

Speaking at the launch of his new book, Leading, former United boss Ferguson said Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Eric Cantona and Cristiano Ronaldo were the only players he coached who deserved to be branded world class, per Sky Sports.

However, Neville—who retired from United in 2011 after a career spent solely under Ferguson—believes Roy Keane and Peter Schmeichel also deserve to be included in the list, per Sky Sports' Monday Night Football (via Rohan Banerjee on MailOnline):

"The one that stood out for me is Peter Schmeichel. He was definitely from my career at Manchester United a world-class goalkeeper. If he wasn't a world-class goalkeeper then I don't know what was. Roy Keane, as well."

Neville was quick to explain he was not intending to contradict Ferguson but felt that the Danish goalkeeper and Irish midfielder were the best players in their respective positions during their careers—the England coach's definition of world class.

Few could argue that Keane and Schmeichel deserve to be remembered as world class and they both made huge contributions to Ferguson's crowning achievement as Red Devils boss, the 1998-99 Treble triumph.

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Keane was the club captain during that season—as he was from 1997 to 2005 before being succeeded by Neville. And Schmeichel took charge in the triumphant Champions League final against Bayern Munich as Keane was suspended.

Football writer Henry Winter seemingly agrees with Neville that the superlative duo deserve to sit alongside Giggs, Ronaldo, Scholes and Cantona in the pantheon of Ferguson-era world-class United players:

Neville himself arguably deserves to be in the conversation having undoubtedly been one of the Premier League's greatest ever right-backs while winning the division eight times between 1995 and 2009.

Meanwhile, the Manchester Evening News' Samuel Luckhurst put forward some other notable absentees from Fergie's list, but he noted the common denominator of the group that could be the reason for their omission:

David Beckham responded to his omission by saying he agreed with Ferguson that he was never world class, per BBC News. 

Considering the subjective nature of the ranking of players it is unsurprising that many have questioned 73-year-old Ferguson's remarkably short four-man list.

While the quartet he named are largely irrefutable, the omissions are questionable, and many will surely agree with Neville's chosen additions.