John O’Shea’s top team-mates XI

The versatile Irishman made a total of 393 appearances for the Reds, placing him comfortably in the top 50 of our all-time list, and was present for some of the club’s greatest occasions, including five Premier League title wins and the 2008 Champions League final success in Moscow.

A 118-cap Republic of Ireland international, he left Old Trafford in 2011 and then played for a further eight years at Sunderland and Reading before hanging up his boots last summer.

O’Shea’s longevity with United means his XI of most common team-mates is entirely composed of former Reds. We think this side would take some beating…

GOALKEEPER

Van der Sar (185 appearances with O’Shea)

O’Shea was already well-established in the United dressing room by the time the legendary Dutch keeper signed from Fulham in the summer of 2005. Van der Sar proved to be the long-term goalkeeping solution the Reds had been looking for since Peter Schmeichel’s departure: United won four titles in six seasons with the former Ajax keeper between the sticks. O’Shea was a regular member of the reliable back four in front of Edwin, contributing to an incredible run of 14 consecutive clean sheets during the 2008/09 Premier League. He even took the gloves from our no.1 at Tottenham in 2007, when van der Sar had to depart injured towards the end of a 4-0 win. Needless to say, John kept the net unbreached!