Scmeichel and Van der Sar. Both top keepers.
Full-backs Denis Irwin, Gary Neville, Evra and these Da Silva boys are something else.
Centre-backs you’d have to say Stam, Bruce, Pallister, Ferdinand and Vidic. Ronny Johnsen was top drawer as well. Jonny Evans will be up there.
For midfield I ask myself who were the players you could not leave out of your best team? Bryan Robson for sure. Roy Keane. Scholes, Giggs, I’d never ever leave him out if I was playing my best. Ronaldo and Cantona are both ‘never leave out’ players. You’d have Beckham knocking on the door.
Out-and-out strikers, where do I start, Van Nistelrooy, Cole, Yorke, Solskjaer, Sheringham. As for Rooney if I left him out I’d have to do it by email or I’d never hear the end of it.

So, not entirely the clearest first XI ever, is it? We can all name the great players (although it seems Mark Hughes has been wiped from memory for the boss!) but when it comes to picking a best XI in Fergie’s era, it’s pretty much impossible. How do you choose just two players from Robson, Keane or Scholes? How do you choose just two players from Ryan Giggs, Cristiano Ronaldo and David Beckham? Just two from Cantona, Rooney, van Nistelrooy, Solskjaer, Hughes, Cole and Yorke? Impossible.

“When you go through it like that, I have been blessed with terrific players,” Ferguson added. “I’ve got some great players now. But nobody can do it on their own. It’s about the team. I can give the leadership and the direction the team has to gel.”