Gary Neville's greatest Premier League XI - but he can't pick Man Utd players
Manchester United legend Gary Neville was forced to pick his all-time Premier League XI without including any players from his former club and some of his choices caused controversy
Gary Neville was put on the spot to select his ultimate Premier League XI, with the twist of excluding any Manchester United players. The former Red Devils stalwart amassed 20 major trophies under Sir Alex Ferguson, which includes a haul of 10 league titles and Champions League trophies.
Neville, 50, faced this challenge during a live edition of The Overlap in 2022, alongside Roy Keane, Jamie Carragher, and host Kelly Cates. The only caveat was that he was banned from selecting any players that represented his boyhood club.
Despite traditionally hailing Peter Schmeichel as the top-flight's finest keeper, Neville had to pivot to Liverpool's current number one Alisson to adhere to the no-United rule.
His defence also included Liverpool's commanding leader Virgil van Dijk, which surprisingly drew jeers from the audience, prompting Neville to clarify: "I don't think they heard that I can't pick United players!"
Neville's defensive lineup was bolstered by Chelsea stalwarts with Cesar Azpilicueta and Ashley Cole taking the full-back spots, while his former England colleague John Terry was chosen to pair up with Van Dijk at centre-back.
Despite the calibre of his selections, the crowd's disapproval persisted, leading a bemused Neville to retort: "Who the f*** do you want in?!"
With his choices limited to non-Manchester United representatives, he went for a dynamic duo made up of Arsenal's Patrick Vieira and Liverpool's Steven Gerrard.
Carragher, ever the joker, couldn't resist a jibe at his fellow pundit: "I can't believe he's picked Gerrard over Scholes!" Neville next looked to Manchester City for inspiration, picking the mercurial David Silva as his attacking midfielder, reports the Express.
The task of sifting through thirty years' worth of attacking brilliance didn't faze him, though he was restricted to those who hadn't donned the United shirt.
Mohamed Salah of Liverpool earned his spot on the right wing, joining an elite set of Neville's list to make four Liverpool players chosen. Over on the left flank, Neville paid homage to Arsenal's Thierry Henry, selecting him for his prolific goal-scoring exploits that matched Salah's record of four Premier League Golden Boots.
Up front, there was little debate as Neville decisively chose the Premier League's record scorer Alan Shearer who netted 260 goals during his time in the top-flight.
Despite some murmurings for Chelsea legend Didier Drogba from the audience, an unswayed Neville stood firm on his decision to anchor his side with the Newcastle great.
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