Stam or Vidic? Keane or Robson? Schmeichel or Van der Sar? We pick the first XI in a 4-2-3-1 formation

Peter Schmeichel

Schmeichel might be in an all-time world team, never mind a Sir Alex Ferguson select XI. He was comically good at one-on-ones and, although he made more mistakes than Edwin van der Sar, his insane YouTubability more than compensated for that. His portfolio of astonishing saves is unmatched.

Gary Neville

In football terms Neville was a self-made millionaire who willed himself to become the best right-back in England. A model professional and, apart from a shocking 1999-2000, a model of consistency. An underrated crosser who shared a superb understanding with David Beckham.

Rio Ferdinand

His background, lifestyle, effortless style and sporadic doziness did not endear him to all but he was the smoothest of all Ferguson's centre-halves, a player whose unobtrusive class was such that he hardly ever picked up yellow cards.

Jaap Stam

Stam offered the best of both worlds. He was a brick outhouse yet smart enough to read a game like he had written it; he was a stopper with the pace of a sprinter; he had both cult and mass appeal; and he stayed only three years yet had the enduring impact of a one-club man.

Denis Irwin

Irwin was described as underrated so often that it was no longer valid to call him underrated. He probably had the highest median and mode performance level of any Ferguson player, with one bad game a season if that. Also a constant attacking threat, a superb crosser and finisher blessed with two right feet.

Paul Scholes

The purest footballer of Ferguson's era. A true players' players: few have ever been the subject of so many gushing tributes from their peers. At his peak he was three midfielders in one: bruiser, playmaker and box-to-box goalscorer. With a more dominant personality he would have been one of the greatest players in history.

Roy Keane

The most influential player of his generation. When Keane wasn't around United's great players often looked lost. He was Ferguson's manager on the pitch and a player whose rhythmic passing and forensic reading of a match were underappreciated companions to his maniacal need to win.

Cristiano Ronaldo

Started as a fantasy footballer, all dizzying stepovers and playground fun, and morphed into a Fantasy Footballer: a goals-and-assists production machine. Dominated Ferguson's third great side as much as Eric Cantona and Keane did the first two.

Eric Cantona

The man who started everything. Cantona catalysed two generations of United footballers with his imagination, swagger and devotion to practice. When he arrived United had not win the title in 25 years; they won four in his five years at the club.

Ryan Giggs

Giggs was twisting blood and tearing teams apart for 22 years of Ferguson's reign. Not as consistent as some greats but as his best he was thrillingly unplayable, particularly on big European nights at Old Trafford. Has been with United for all bar two of Ferguson's trophies.

Ruud van Nistelrooy

A majestic goalscorer who could be both brutishly efficient and deceptively subtle in front of the goal. He won the title almost single-footedly in 2002-03 and scored 110 goals in his first three seasons at the club before injury and a fall-out with Ferguson.

SUBSTITUTES

Edwin van der Sar

Ended six years of post-Schmeichel misery instantly.

Nemanja Vidic

One of the main reasons Ferguson won his second European Cup.

Bryan Robson

Carried the team for the first few years of Ferguson's reign.

David Beckham

A peerless crosser who completed one of the great midfields.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

Solskjaer? Bloody hell. Simply the greatest substitute in football history.