Pick your Manchester United v Chelsea select XI

Ben Smith

As Sunday's summit encounter between Manchester United and Chelsea looms ever larger on the horizon, we're giving you the chance to pick the best XI from a mix of both squads.

Patrick Barclay, writing in today's Times, claims Sir Alex Ferguson's side are weaker than their league position would suggest, while Chelsea look stronger than at any time since the heyday of José Mourinho.

According to Barclay, only Wayne Rooney and Edwin van der Sar would get into the Chelsea side while Frank Lampard, Michael Essien, Deco, Michael Ballack would walk into United’s midfield and John Terry and Ricardo Carvalho would edge out Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic in central defence. He adds that Ferguson would take Didier Drogba to partner Rooney up front. But do you agree?

Have your say and name your Chelsea v Manchester United select XI below.

Comments

[Bob]

A Cole-JT-Vidic-Boswinger
Essien
Ballack-Carrick
Super Frank
Drogs-Rooney

[bob]

oh and Cech in goal

[Josh]

Cech
Bosingwa - JT - Carvalho - A. Cole
Essien
Fletcher - Lampard
Deco
Drogba - Rooney

[Mike]

VDS
Evra Vidic Terry Hargreaves

J Cole Lampard Essien Giggs

Rooney Drogba

[RossBill]

VDS

Neville Evans Vidic Evra

Anderson Fletcher

Valencia Berbatov Giggs

Rooney

[Alex]

Cech
Bosingwa Vidic Terry Cole
Ballack Lampard Essien Cole
Rooney Drogba

[Calum]

Cech
Bosingwa Vidic Terry A.Cole
Essien
J. Cole Lampard Giggs
Drogba Rooney

[peep]

foster

neville brown alex ferreira

nani mikel o'shea park

ferguson ancelotti

[spangle]

VDS
Bosingwa Vidic Carvalho Cole
Essien
Lampard Cole Giggs
Rooney Drogba

[Bugolgi]

VDS

A.Cole Terry Carvalho Bosingwa

Essien Lampard Ballack J.Cole

Rooney Drogba

[Ole Gunner]

Man United are quite poor on current form.

The combined 11 will be (4-4-2):

Drogba Rooney

Giggs Essien Lampard Valencia

Cole Terry Vidic Ivanovic

Cech

[Chérubin]

Cech

Boswinga Terry Carvalho Evra
Essien
lampard giggs
Obertan Malouda
Anelka

Coach : R. Domenech

[john]

man utd
van der sar

neville vidic brown evra

carrick
anderson fletcher

nani valencia

rooney

[Matt Savage]

VDS;
Bosingwa Vidic Ferdinand Evra;
Cole Essien Lampard Giggs;
Rooney Drogba

[Neil Thomas]

Cech

Bosingwa - Evans - Ivanovic - A.Cole
Essien
Carrick Lampard
Rooney J. Cole
Drogba

[Surinda]

Cech
Bosingwa Terry Vidic A Cole
Essien
Lampard J Cole Fletcher
Drogba Roony

[Adam]

cech

Bosingwa Vidic Alex A Cole

Essien Fletcher

Rooney Lampard J.Cole/Anelka

Drogbe

[A S]

Der Sar
Ivanovic-Terry(c)-Ferdinand(vc)-A.Cole
Giggs-Essien-Lampard-J.Cole
Drogba-Rooney

Subs: Cech, Carvalho, Alex, Bosingwa, Ballack, Scholes, Anelka, Owen, Kalou.

[Christopher O'Brien]

Cech

Bosingwa Carvalho Vidic Evra

Essien

Fletcher Lampard Giggs

Rooney Drogba

[Joe Blogs]

In 4-4-2 diamond: Cech; Bosingwa Ferdinand Terry Evra; Essien Fletcher Lampard Joe Cole; Rooney Drogba

[Kelley]

Cech
Bosingwa - Carvalho - Vidic - A. Cole
Essien - Lampard - Carrick - Giggs
Drogba - Rooney

Subs from: Van der Sar, Terry, Ivanovic, Fletcher, Malouda, Anelka, Owen.

[Crowey]

E.Van Der Sar

J.Bosingwa J.Terry N.Vidic A.Cole

M.Essien D.Fletcher F.Lampard

J.Cole D.Drogba W.Rooney

Bench:
Alex, Kalou, Giggs, Carrick and Cech

[Sukhy Singh]

Cech

Bosingwa---Vidic---Carvalho---Evra

Obertan---Essien---Fletcher---Giggs

Rooney---Drogba

[Chris]

Cech, Bosingwa, Terry,Carvalho,A.cole,
Lampard,Giggs,Essein,Balack,Drogba,oRooney

[Chris]

Best Team will win on Sunday!

[Ben Westlake]

4-1-2-1-2

VDS

Bosingwa - Terry - Vidic - Evra

Essien

Valencia Giggs

Lampard

Drogba - Rooney

[JD]

4-1-3-2

Van Der Sar

Bosingwa - Terry - Carvalho - Evra

Essien

J Cole - Lampard - Giggs

Rooney - Drogba

BENCH:
Cech, Ferdinand, A Cole, Brown, Scholes, Fletcher, Anelka, Owen, Malouda

[Jon Smith]

Cech
Cole - Terry - Carvalho - Bosingwa
Essien
Ballack Cole
Lampard
Anelka Drogba

[Zhafri]

vds
bosingwa-terry-vidic-evra
scholes-lampard-ballack-essien
drogba-rooney

[Mushtaq]

van der sar

o shea, ferdinanad, vidic, evra

Carrick, Fletcher
Valencia, Anderson, Barbatov, Giggs
Rooney

[Barry]

Cech
Evra, Vidic Terry Cole
Ballack Lampard Essien Cole
Rooney Drogba

[ian white]

VDS
Bosingwa, Carvalho, Vidic, Evra
J.Cole, Essien, Lampard, Giggs
Drogba, Berbatov

Bench: Cech, Rio, A.Cole, Carrick, Valencia, Rooney, Anelka

England XI

Foster
Brown, Rio, Terry, A.Cole
Hargreaves, Carrick, Lampard, J.Cole
Rooney, Owen

subs: James, Green, G.Neville, Bridge, P.Neville, Parker, Beckham, Wright-Philips, Scholes, C.Cole, Wellbeck,

[gio]

vds
brown,vidic,ferdinand,evra
valencia,anderson,fletcher,giggs
berbatov,rooney

[Ravi H B]

Am a manu fan since Eric King C' days, and I can say, my heart is with Manu. But this game, we are going to loose by at least 2 goal margin. If we draw then its like christmas. If we win, its like all festivals of the year together and we will march towards MAY 2010 for the title

[ediz]

cech

ivanovic, terry, vidic, cole
essien lampard
j.cole ballack
rooney, drogba

bench - vds, bosingwa, carvalho, evra, deco, anelka, berba

[jason]

[4-4-2 diamond]

Van de Sar
O'Shea - Terry - Vidic - Evra
Essien
Fletcher - Lampard
Giggs (J. Cole)
Rooney - Drogba

i've included Giggs based on current form. this season he's been sensational and i could see him do damage behind the front 2. if not him would have to opt for Joe Cole.

[dd]

any person choosing more than 2 United players must be a United fan. I am a neutral and I cannot choose anyone from United except Rooney.

[go-on-giggsy]

VDS

Wesley Rio Vidic Evra

Valencia Anderson Carrick Giggs

Owen Rooney

[Big Deek]

Cech
Brown - Terry - Vidic - Evra

Fletcher - Essien - Lampard - Anderson

Drogba - Rooney

[Chris]

1.Peter Cech
2.Jose Bosingwa
3.Ashley Cole
4.Michael Essien
5.Nemanja Vidic
6.John Terry (c)
7.Darren Fletcher
8.Frank Lampard
9.Wayne Rooney
10.Didier Drogba
11.Joe Cole (or Deco)

Playing with the Chelsea diamond

It was touch and go between the keepers and left backs, I'd welcome any one of each.

[Smurd]

SCHMEICHEL
NEVILLE - STAM - FERDINAND - IRWIN
RONALDO - CHARLTON - ROBSON - BEST
CANTONA - ROONEY

[Dan]

GK:Petr Cech
RWB:Jose Bosingwa
CB:John Terry
CB:Nemanja Vidic
LWB:Patrice Evra
CDM:Michael Essien
CM:Frank Lampard
CM:Michael Ballack
LF:Ryan Giggs
ST:Didier Drogba
RF:Wayne Rooney

[Eshaan Akbar]

GK: Van der Sar
RB: Brown
CB: Terry
CB: Ferdinand
LB: Evra
CM: Fletcher
CM: Essien
CM: Giggs
AM: Lampard
SS: Rooney
ST: Drogba

I don't think ANYONE can argue with that lineup.

[Eamon B]

VDS
Rio JT Vidic
Bosingwa Evra
Essien Lampard
Berbs Drogba Rooney

OR

VDS
Bos Rio JT Evra
Essien Lampard
J.Cole Rooney Giggs
Drogba

[Martin Glen]

Cech
Neville Terry Carvahlo Cole
Lampard Essien Ballack
Anelka Drogba Rooney

Subs:
Joe Cole, Vidic, Evra, Valencia, giggs

[True Blue larry]

Cech
Bosingwa, Terry (Capt), Carvalho, A.Cole
Essien
Ballack, Lampard
J.Cole
Anelka, Drogba
i have really tried hard to find a place for a United player but their really isn't one with enough quality. Then i thought that maybe Sir Alex could manage the side. But then i thought no! He will only moan about the ref and then sell the first player he has a disagreement with.

[Adam Stanley]

I am a united fan and this has just brought home how poor we are, man-for-man compared with Chelsea.

If I'm honest, my XI would be:

Cech

Bosingwa---Vidic---Terry---Evra-just

Lampard---Essien---Giggs

J.Cole

Rooney--------Drogba

[Thrillip Seymoure]

Cech
Boswinga-Terry-Vidic-A.Cole

Essien
J.Cole-Lampard-Ballack

Drogba - Rooney

[Brian Malone]

Van Der Saar;

Bosingwa - Vidic - Ferdinand - Evra

(not great options at RB - neville o'shea brown rafael ivanovic all probably behind Bosingwa.... on centre halves: yes both are struggling for form & fitness at present but they are the best around when fit - Terry just behind... on LB : Evra & Cole are best 2 LB's in Europe - Evra just shades it)

Essien Lampard Ballack Giggs

(MU have nobody else even close)

Rooney Drogba

(no brainers)

[Alex]

VDS

Bowsingwa- Vidic- Terry- A Cole-

Essien

Lampard- Carrick

J Cole

Drogba-Rooney

[CFC (USA)]

Van der Sar
Bosingwa, Terry, Carvalho, A. Cole
Ballack, Lampard, Essien, J. Cole
Drogba, Rooney

[rhuxford]

Cech Bosingwa Ferdinand Vidic Evra Hargreaves Carrick Anderson Rooney Berbatov Valencia

[Pierre Demajo]

Van der Sar

Bosingwa, Terry, Vidic, Evra

Essien
Lampard, Giggs
J. Cole

Drogba, Rooney

You'd sacrifice Cole for Fletcher and play Giggs behind the two strikers if you needed more grunt or add Valencia instead for width.

Bench: Cech, O'Shea, Carvalho, Fletcher, Valencia, Berbatov, Anelka

[balls]

You're crazy have you seen giggs in the middle? He looks lost at best to me.

[balls]

VDS

O'Shea-Vidic-Terry-Evra
Lampard
Giggs-Valencia
Fletcher
Berba
Rooney

[Cam17]

I am a United fan and to me this also shows Chelsea's superiority across midfield. When on form Vidic and Ferdinand must be the best central defensive pairing in the world, Terry and Carvalho complement eachother quite well though. Essien and Lampard must be up there with Iniesta and Xavi as the best midfield pairing and I would prefer Essien and Lampard as they are more complete players than Xavi and Iniesta. So the game this weekend will be tough.

Cech

Bosingwa Vidic Terry Evra

Fletcher Lampard Essien J Cole

Rooney Drogba

Must admit am a bit nervous about this game at the Bridge on the weekend.

Come on United

[Mark]

---------Van Der Sar---------

Bosingwa---Vidic---Terry---Evra

----(A fit)Hargreaves--------

----Fletcher------Essien-----

---------Lampard------------

------Drogba----Rooney----

[CV10]

VDS

Rafael Vidic Terry Evra

Fletcher
Lampard Anderson

Rooney J.Cole
Drogba

[DaddyHet]

Cech

Bosingwa-Terry-Alex-A.Cole

J.Cole-Essien-Lampard-Deco

Drogba-Anelka

[peteh]

VDS
Bosingwa Vidic Evans Evra

Fletcher

Valencia Giggs

Joe Cole

Berbatov Rooney

[RJ]

With these players at my disposal its hard to to go with an attacking side.

Keeper: Cech

This is difficult as both have been in better form, but VDS may be a bit past it. Despite the fact that Cech really hasn't been as dominant since his head injury I'll go with him.

Central Defence: Terry Carvalho

Again, difficult based on current form. I think I would have taken Ferdinand and Carvalho a few years ago, but Carvalho has slipped lately. Vidic can't play a Drogba, he's been dominated by such players. But, its got to be Terry for his leadership and poise. Carvalho though he has slipped is better than Vidic and Ferdinand on current form.

Full backs: A. Cole Bosingwa

Not much between Evra and A. Cole, since I'm going to have what appears to be a total Chelsea back, I might as well keep them all together. They both bomb and both cross.

Central Midfield: Lampard Essian

These two are just too strong for anyone else to beat them out. Lampard is just so consistent and Essian so powerful that they can control the centre of the pitch.

Attack: Anelka, Berbatov, Drogba and Rooney

I would play Drogba as a traditional target man with Anelka and Berbatov playing in from either wing. Rooney would be in the slot behind Drogba.

This would be a savage formation.

Cech

Terry Carvalho

Bosingwa A. Cole

Lampard Essian

Rooney
Berbatov Anelka
Drogba

[asdd]

GK Cech
DF Carvalho Terry Alex Cole
MF Ballack Lampard Cole Malouda Essien
FW Drogba

[Tom - Chicago]

----------- VDS ----------

Essien - Rio - Vidic - Evra

Fletch - Lamps - Ando - Giggs

--- Drogba ----- Rooney ---

[Liverred]

Rooney Drogba Anelka
Essien Giggs Lampard
Evra Vidic Ferdinand Bosingwa
----Van Dar Sar--(pre injury Cech)

[Sushant]

--------van der sar-----
bosingwa--JT--Vidic--Evra
--fletch--essien--lampard-
--rooney-------Giggs----
-------drogba----------

[wankchester united]

Cech

Bosingwa, Terry, Vidic, A Cole

ballack, lampard, essien, deco

rooney, drogba

On paper Chelsea have the better team. Ive only taken 2 man u players. Ill agree its debatable in defence, but man for man throughout the rest of the squads, Chelsea are better in every department.

[Sushanth]

---------van der sar-----------------
-----bosingwa vidic terry evra--------
----------- fletcher------------------
----------ballack essien--------------
-------------lampard---------------------------drogba rooney-------------

Come on United!!

[Nirmallya Seth]

I' ll go for 4-3-1-2

G : VAN DER SAR
D : EVRA
D : A COLE
D : TERRY
D : VIDIC
M : BALLACK
M : GIGGS
M : J COLE
M : LAMPARD
F : DROGBA
F : ROONEY

[Ryan Marsden]

GK Van der Sar
RB Ivanovic
CB Terry
CB Vidic
LB Evra
RM Fletcher
CM Essien
CM Lampard
LM J.Cole
ST Rooney
ST Drogba

[Robin]

Easy.

Cech (Van Der Sar only looked good due to Man Utds past good defence)

Bosingwa(Ivanovic)-Carvalho-JT-A Cole

Essein, Lampard, Ballack, J Cole

Drogba-Rooney

Only one Man Utd player would get into the Chlesea team, pretty much every football expert and pundit agrees too. Maybe with more of a competition between the keepers.

[Randy]

----------------Cech----------------

O'Shea---Terry---Vidic---A.Cole----
----------Lampard----Essien---------
Fletcher----------------------J.Cole
----------------Rooney-------------
----------------Drogba-------------

[Gerard Comey]

I'm a Utd fan and I must admit we are far from our best. Everytime I have watched Utd this season they have struggled to perform. It always looks as though an important player is missing from the team especially the midfield. We lack creativity and have become quite shaky at the back. The only players who have performed consistently this season are Rooney, Evra, Fletcher and Giggs.

[Jake Bridgeman]

Cech
Boswinga, Terry, Ferdinand, Cole
J Cole, Essien, Lampard, Giggs
Rooney, Drogba

[Joe]

van der sar

evra vidic evans cole

giggs essien lampard ballack

rooney drogba