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Combined XI: Man Utd 08/09 vs. current City team

By James Fudge

Nominees for the 2011 FIFA Men’s Football Coach of the Year, Alex Ferguson (L) of Manchester United and Pep Guardiola of Barcelona attend a press conference on January 9, 2012 before the FIFA Ballon d'Or award ceremony in Zurich. AFP PHOTO / FABRICE COFFRINI (Photo credit should read FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via Getty Images)
Nominees for the 2011 FIFA Men’s Football Coach of the Year, Alex Ferguson (L) of Manchester United and Pep Guardiola of Barcelona attend a press conference on January 9, 2012 before the FIFA Ballon d'Or award ceremony in Zurich. AFP PHOTO / FABRICE COFFRINI (Photo credit should read FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via Getty Images) /
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WOLVERHAMPTON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 17: Kevin De Bruyne of Manchester City during the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Manchester City at Molineux on September 17, 2022 in Wolverhampton, United Kingdom. (Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images)
WOLVERHAMPTON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 17: Kevin De Bruyne of Manchester City during the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Manchester City at Molineux on September 17, 2022 in Wolverhampton, United Kingdom. (Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images) /

Defensive midfield – Michael Carrick, Owen Hargreaves OR Rodri, Kalvin Phillips

JF – Another tough choice for me as probably the two best in that position in different eras of the game. Two underestimated players in a team full of stars. In my opinion, Carrick has a better range of passing, while Rodri is much better at recovering the ball in transition. Tough choice. As much as I am a fan of Rodri, Carrick wins it for me for his passing skills and able to influence a game of football.

LG – My heart tells me Rodri and I feel dirty, but Carrick edges it, JUST!

Central midfield – Paul Scholes, Darren Fletcher, Park Ji-Sung OR Kevin De Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan, Bernardo Silva

JF – There is one man that is a guaranteed on my team sheet, the best creative midfielder the Premier League has ever seen. Whoever said £65 million is a waste of money. Kevin De Bruyne starts for me. Now the debate, is for who is partnering him. I’ve got Scholes and Bernardo Silva for consideration, while Gundogan runs those options close.

It’s Bernardo Silva for me, in his best position, allows City to move the squad forward and demonstrates his dribbling and passing skills for a quality front three.

LG – I have to go with the best midfielder who tops assist stats in half the games of some of the best in Premier Leagues history, Kevin De Bruyne. He’s intelligent, creative, strong with the ability to carry the ball forward, he can defend, and he is an incredible human being and role model. The king.

My other spot also goes to Bernardo Silva, purely because every team needs a Silva type player in the team, and none do it better than he does. His work-rate is exceptional, close ball control, dribbling, passing, his technical ability is special.