19. Gerard Pique

keys: manchester united, Gerard Pique, Defender, Gerard Pique profile, Gerard Pique photos, pictures, wallpapers

Birthdate:	02 Feb 1987
Birthplace:	Barcelona, Spain
Position:	Defender
Appearances:	18
Joined United:	01 Oct 2004
United Debut:	26 Oct 2004 v Crewe Alex (A)
International	Spain

Gerard Piqué arrived at United in the summer of 2004 with great promise and potential. Highly-regarded at his former hometown club Barcelona where he was nominated as the Catalonia Player of the Year, Piqué opted to relocate to Old Trafford in search of first team chances.

United’s coaches were so impressed with the way Piqué settled in that he was handed an earlier-than-expected senior debut as a substitute for John O’Shea during the Reds’ Carling Cup trip to Crewe. Piqué's 23-minute cameo in the 3-0 victory came barely a week after his first appearance for the Reserves. He looked instantly at ease alongside Wes Brown

in the centre of defence, twice snuffing out the threat of then-Crewe striker Dean Ashton.

He made two further first team outings during the 2004/05 campaign, as a sub for Brown in the Reds' 3-0 Champions League defeat away at Fenerbahce and as a starter in the goalless FA Cup stalemate against Exeter at Old Trafford. The young Catalan was also an integral part of the club’s quadruple-winning Reserve side, chipping in with two goals in 24 appearances. Piqué won yet more silverware in his second season at Old Trafford as he helped the Reserves claim the Treble. He was a regular fixture in Rene Meulensteen’s side, playing 26 times and firing two goals.

The Spanish defender made his Premiership debut at the Stadium of Light in October 2005 as United ran out 3-1 winners over Sunderland. He featured in six more league and Cup matches during the remainder of the 2005/06 season including an impressive display at right-back in his first Premiership start against West Ham at OT in March 2006.

With so many senior contenders vying for a regular berth in the Reds' defence, Sir Alex Ferguson decided to send Pique on loan for the entire 2006/07 campaign. He joined Real Zaragoza in La Liga and although opportunities weren't

immediately forthcoming, Gerard soon had an impact on the first team and became a regular starter.

Although he scored on his debut at Villarreal and again against Gimnastic and hometown club Barcelona, it was Pique's impressive defensive displays which caught the eye as Zaragoza finished a superb season with a UEFA Cup slot.

Such was Pique's impact at La Romareda that the Spaniards enquired about a permanent transfer for the youngster. However, Sir Alex Ferguson sees his future at United.

reference: http://www.manutd.com

15. Nemanja Vidic

keys: manchester united, Nemanja Vidic, Defender, Nemanja Vidic profile, Nemanja Vidic photos, pictures, wallpapers

Birthdate:	21 Oct 1981
Birthplace:	Uzice, Serbia
Position:	Defender
Appearances:	74
Joined United:	05 Jan 2006
United Debut:	25 Jan 2006 v Blackburn (H)
International	Serbia

Nemanja Vidic is a beast of a defender. Tall, athletic and solid as a rock, he's uncompromising in the tackle and formidable in the air. His partnership with Rio Ferdinand during the 2006/07 season drew comparisons to great United pairings like Steve Bruce and Gary Pallister.

Vidic began his career with his boyhood club, Red Star Belgrade, when he joined their youth programme at the age of 14. His first-team debut didn't arrive until 2001 but he went on to make 22 appearances in his first season. His leadership qualities quickly saw him handed the captain's armband. After three successful years as

skipper – he scored 12 times in 67 matches – he ended his stay with Red Star on a high by leading them to Serbia's domestic league and cup double. He made the switch to Russian outfit Spartak Moscow in August 2004 and soon became a regular starter. Just 39 games and four goals later, United came calling.

The Reds announced his signing on Christmas Day, 2005. He hadn't played for two months as the Russian season had recently ended, so it took some time for his true ability to shine. But after completing an intensive training programme, Vida began to show his class. A training ground injury while on World Cup duty with Serbia & Montenegro ruled Vidic out of the tournament and United's first six games of the 2006/07 season. But when he did take his place alongside Rio Ferdinand in the heart of the defence, he gelled immediately and soon began to pose an attacking threat from set pieces. Vidic scored three league goals on the way to clinching his first Premiership medal and also notched a crucial equaliser on Champions League Matchday 6 against Benfica at Old Trafford.

A collar-bone injury sustained at the end of March kept Vidic out of the bulk of United's

title run-in, but his performances until that point had been strong enough to help the Reds to the top of the league... and inspire a rousing song of his own among the matchgoing faithful.

His form was also acknowledged with a spot in the PFA Premier League Team of the Year.

reference: http://www.manutd.com

6. Wes Brown

keys: manchester united | Wes Brown | Wes Brown | Wes Brown profile | Wes Brown photos pictures wallpapers

Birthdate:	13 Oct 1979
Birthplace:	Manchester
Position:	Defender
Appearances:	273
Joined United:	08 Jul 1996
United Debut:	04 May 1998 v Leeds United (H)
International	England

After a career so blighted by injury, it’s amazing that Wes Brown has managed to develop into such an outstanding defender.

Two cases of damaged knee ligaments and a broken ankle have hampered the defender to the extent that he only passed the 200-appearance mark in January 2006, eight years after making his debut. However, the sporadic nature of his first-team outings have not masked his class. Tough-tackling, strong in the air and fast on the deck, Wes is exceptionally talented.

A local lad, born in Longsight, Brown signed as a trainee in July 1996, putting pen to paper on professional forms

four months later. In his first full season he picked up the Denzil Haroun Young Player of the Year award. His promise earned a senior debut against Leeds United on 4 May 1998, and a first start against Barnsley a week later.

His performances in 1998/99 caught the eye, but knee-ligament injuries ahead of the 1999/00 season and at the end of the 2002/03 campaign were bookends to a broken ankle in August 2002. Many players might have been demoralised by such wretched luck, but Brown’s grit saw him return in September 2003 and complete the rest of the 2003/04 season. In 2005/06 he finally became a linchpin in the centre of defence; his no-nonsense style perfectly complimenting Rio Ferdinand’s more languid approach, and providing a solid platform for United's backline. Brown's form looked set to catapult him back onto the international scene for the World Cup in Germany, but despite his fine form though, Wes was omitted from England’s squad.

The 2006/07 campaign – with Nemanja Vidic imperious alongside Ferdinand at the heart of the Reds’ rearguard – meant opportunities were limited in Wes’ preferred central position, but as ever, he has not rocked the boat, taking his chances and taking them well when they have arisen. An England recall duly

came for the 5-0 win over Andorra in September.

As the season came to a climax, Wes passed the 250-appearance mark in all competitions and claimed his fourth Premiership winners' medal. His Reds' contract runs until 2008 and he’s in no rush to look elsewhere. "I would love to see out my career with United," he told United Review in February. "I’m a Manchester lad and Old Trafford is still the only place for me." That’s good news for fans of the man Sir Alex called the "most naturally gifted defender in England."

reference: http://www.manutd.com

5. Rio Ferdinand

keys: manchester united | Rio Ferdinand | Defender | Rio Ferdinand profile | Rio Ferdinand photos pictures wallpapers

Birthdate:	07 Nov 1978
Birthplace:	Peckham
Position:	Defender
Appearances:	237
Joined United:	22 Jul 2002
United Debut:	27 Aug 2003 v Zalaegerszeg (H)
International	England

Armed with elegance, pace and an incredible reading of the game, Rio Ferdinand is undoubtedly one of the finest defenders in world football.

The Peckham-born star burst onto the Premiership scene with West Ham United under the guidance of Harry Redknapp before being snapped up by Leeds United for £18million in November 2000.

The 2002 World Cup provided Rio with the stage to make the transformation from budding talent to accomplished defender, and his performances in Japan convinced Sir Alex Ferguson to part with a massive £30million.

Although

initially hampered by injury and loss of form, Rio found his feet towards the end of his first season, as United came back from the dead to overtake Arsenal and win their fifteenth League title.

In September 2003 disaster struck. The defender missed a routine drugs test and, despite appealing, was banned from football for 8 months in January 2004.

Since returning from his suspension, Rio has consistently justified his tag as a world-class defender. He also rediscovered his goal touch, most dramatically with an injury-time winner against Liverpool in January 2006.
Although an increasingly potent threat from set-pieces, Rio’s main asset remains his leadership in defence – a skill that has made him a solid foundation for both United and England.

reference: http://www.manutd.com

3. Patrice Evra

Keys: manchester united | Patrice Evra | Defender | Patrice Evra profile | Patrice Evra photos pictures wallpapers

Birthdate:	15 May 1981
Birthplace:	Dakar, Senegal
Position:	Defender
Appearances:	70
Joined United:	10 Jan 2006
United Debut:	14 Jan 2006 v Manchester City (A)
International	France

United beat off fierce competition from Liverpool, Arsenal and Inter Milan to secure the services of French full-back Patrice Evra on 10 January 2006.

The defender's arrival, just days after Nemanja Vidic’s capture, signalled Sir Alex Ferguson's intention to shore up his defence, which had suffered in the long-term absence of Gabriel Heinze.

Although only 24 when he joined the Reds, Evra had already been capped five times for France. He had been club captain at Monaco, where he established himself as a quick, committed, attack-minded player, also capable of playing at left-midfield.


Evra started his career in Italy after a scout from Masala spotted him in Les Ulis, the same tough suburb of Paris where Thierry Henry grew up. After one season in Serie C1, he moved up to Serie B by joining Monza. In 2000, Nice brought him home to France and converted him from left-winger to left-back. After two seasons he was snapped up by Monaco.

He again had little trouble adjusting to the bigger stage; he was a French League Cup winner in 2003. He then helped Monaco to the 2004 UEFA Champions League Final before losing 3-0 to Porto.

Patrice cites his first manager at Monaco, Didier Deschamps, as a big influence on his career, saying he “transmitted to me the bug of winning at any price.”

After a mixed start to life at United, having joined midway through a difficult season, Patrice showed his best form throughout the 2006/07 season as the Reds recovered the Premiership title.

The French defender's extra gym time paid off as he came to terms with the physical demands of playing in England, and he notched his first Premiership and Champions League goals against Everton and Roma respectively.

Evra's superb form was

tempered by niggling injuries, but his part in United's successful season was recognised by a slot in the 2006/07 PFA Team of the Season, as voted by his Premiership peers.

references: http://www.manutd.com

2. Gary Neville

Keys: manchester united | Gary Neville | Defender | Gary Neville profile | Gary Neville photos pictures wallpapers

Birthdate:	18 Feb 1975
Birthplace:	Bury
Position:	Defender
Appearances:	540
Joined United:	08 Jul 1991
United Debut:	16 Sep 1992 v (H) Torpedo Moscow
International	England

Gary Neville belongs to an elite group of players who have skippered the Reds to the Premiership title.

Following on from Bryan Robson, Steve Bruce, Eric Cantona and Roy Keane, Neville realised a lifelong dream as he became the fifth United captain to lift the Premiership trophy following the Reds' record ninth triumph at the end of the 2006/07 campaign.

The only real disappointment to be taken from United’s thrilling title charge was the fact that the Reds' were missing their inspirational captain for the final stages of the campaign. Neville suffered ankle ligament damage just 11 minutes into

the visit of Bolton to Old Trafford on 17 March 2007, an appearance that was to be his last of the season. But if he wasn’t able to influence matters on the pitch, you can be sure his presence was felt in the dressing rooms and from the stands. No-one, but no-one, wants United to win more than Gary Neville.

The defender, who has made over 500 appearances in a United shirt, was handed the armband during the 2005/06 season following Roy Keane’s departure. Being one of United’s most consistent and committed performers since establishing himself in the side in 1994/95, Neville was a natural choice. He enters every game refusing to contemplate defeat. The fans love him for it. His heart on his sleeve approach doesn't endear him to everyone, however – notably the football authorities. His badge-clenching celebration following Rio Ferdinand’s last-minute winner against Liverpool at Old Trafford in January 2006 saw him charged with improper conduct by the FA and fined £5000.

“Are you meant to smile sweetly and jog back to the halfway line?” he said. "People want footballers to be whiter than white. Do they want a game of robots?"

There was no such censure for Gary’s next high-profile

celebration – at the 2006 Carling Cup Final. He lifted his first trophy as captain and collected the one domestic medal that had eluded him in his career. The Reds had not won the competition since April 1992, when Gary was in the famous youth team that also spawned David Beckham, Nicky Butt, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes.

Vocal and determined, he gives his all in every game, demanding the same from his team-mates. No excuses.

references: http://www.manutd.com

27. Mikael Silvestre

Birthdate:	09 Aug 1977
Birthplace:	Chambray-les-Tours, France
Position:	Defender
Joined United:	02 Sep 1999
United Debut:	11 Sep 1999 v Liverpool (A)
International	France

Mikael Silvestre is one of the most experienced members of Sir Alex Ferguson’s squad. In fact, at the end of the 2006/07 season, only four members of the current side had played for United more times.

This impressive record owes much to Mikael’s ability to play in two different positions: centre-back and left-back. As such, he’s survived the threat posed by new acquisitions and been invaluable to the manager when others have been suspended or injured. In the latter stages of 2005/06, he was the one patrolling Gabriel Heinze’s patch on the left flank while new-boy Nemanja Vidic partnered central lynchpin Rio Ferdinand.


The return to left-back, where he’d once been resident, enabled Silvestre to show off some of his attacking skills, including a pinpoint cross for Wayne Rooney’s goal against Arsenal in April 2006. He later described that 2-0 win for United as the best match of his career.

"I was up against Alexandr Hleb and Emmanuel Adebayor, but I achieved the objectives I set myself. I had a huge amount of determination. It was a benchmark game for me,” he said.

Silvestre then went to the 2006 World Cup, where he played in France's 2-0 win over Togo.
He started United's 2006/07 season in sparkling form, playing in the first six matches and scoring the opener in United's 2-1 victory at Vicarage Road. But an injury sustained against Arsenal in September saw countryman Patrice Evra step into his shoes and he never truly won back his spot in the team. It wasn't until November that Silvestre enjoyed his next spell of regular football, where top performances against Portsmouth, Everton and Aston Villa appeared to do wonders for his confidence.

Yet Silvestre played just four times over the next two months. February saw him get a few more games under his belt, including both

FA Cup ties against Reading, before a strong showing at Anfield guaranteed him a place when Lille visited Old Trafford in the Champions League. Disaster struck, however, when Silvestre landed awkwardly in injury time and dislocated his right shoulder.

It was a cruel blow for the French international and for Sir Alex, who could have done with Silvestre's defensive cover in the tense title run-in.

reference: http://www.manutd.com

26. Phil Bardsley

Birthdate:
Birthplace:	Salford, Manchester
Position:	Defender
Appearances:	18
Joined United:	01 Jul 2001
United Debut:	03 Dec 2003 v West Brom (A)
International	England

Tough-tackling Phil Bardsley is proud to fly the local flag in United's cosmopolitan squad. He was born in Eccles and bred in Salford, not far from the football pitches at Littleton Road and The Cliff where United used to train.

His aspirations were fostered from an early age as he watched players like Bryan Robson and Roy Keane going through their paces. By the time Phil started his three-year scholarship in July 2001, the club had moved its training HQ to Carrington. There, all the scholars, not just the Salfordians, could be inspired by seeing the senior players at close quarters.

Bardsley completed his journey from the Salford playing fields to the senior United ranks with a League Cup trip to West Brom in December 2003. The Reds lost 2-0 but it was still a successful night on a personal level. Sir Alex described his performance at right-back as "outstanding." He can also play at centre-back, the position he occupied in his first season with United's youth team. In his second season, 2002/03, he helped the club to win the FA Youth Cup in a feat he described as "massive for a young footballer."

He is perhaps unfortunate to be competing with club skipper Gary Neville. However, a natural successor.

reference: http://www.manutd.com

25. Daniel Simpson

Birthdate:	04 Jan 1987
Birthplace:	Salford, England
Position:	Full-Back
Appearances:	5
Joined United:	07 Jul 2003
United Debut:
International

Dipped into the Reserves' triumphant Pontin's League campaign late in the 2004/05 season, Danny Simpson's United career took sizeable steps during the 05/06 and 06/07 campaigns.

The pacy right-back notched 16 pre-Christmas appearances for the second string in 2005 and demonstrated a great ability to get forward in addition to his defensive duties.

Danny's form earned him a loan move to Royal Antwerp alongside Tom Heaton, Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, Adam Eckersley and Lee Martin in January 2006. The Salford-born defender quickly established himself in the starting line-up and his standing with

the Belgian fans was aided immensely by a scorching long-range goal against Tubize.

A starring role in United's pre-season tour of South Africa catapulted Danny into the limelight among United fans, and he continued his fine form into a second four-month loan at Antwerp which ended in December 2006.

Upon returning to Old Trafford, Danny was snapped up by Sunderland in his second loan of the season. Simpson joined up with fellow United loanee Jonny Evans, and both players became integral parts of the Black Cats' back line as Roy Keane's side clinched promotion to the Premiership.

23. Jonny Evans

Birthdate:	02 Jan 1988
Birthplace:	Belfast, Northern Ireland
Position:	Defender
Appearances:	3
Joined United:	01 Jul 2004
United Debut:
International	N. Ireland

Belfast-born Jonathan Evans is a tall and agile centre-back. An intelligent defender, Evans combines an uncompromising physical approach with the ability to pass the ball out from the back.

He has proven himself to be strong in the tackle and dominant in the air at youth level, and in 2005/06 he made significant inroads into United’s Reserves, playing 14 matches and contributing two goals.

He was also handed a European squad number at the start of the season and has trained and travelled with the first team squad, and was in the group that went to Paris to face Lille Metropole in November 2005.


Jonny's unquestioned promise led to a shock international call-up to Lawrie Sanchez's senior Northern Ireland side at the start of the 2006/07 season.

His outstanding displays on the world stage, together with some phenomenal performances on loan for Royal Antwerp, lend credence to the whispers that Evans has what it takes to forge a career for himself in United's first team.

Evans' development certainly caught the eye of his boyhood hero Roy Keane. The Sunderland manager snapped up the youngster within days of his Antwerp loan ending.

Jonny spent the rest of the 2006/07 season at the Stadium of Light, and tasted defeat just once in 19 appearances as the Black Cats stormed into the Barclays Premier League as champions.

Evans' fine form on Wearside caught the eye of many clubs, but he looks set to spend the 2007/08 season at Old Trafford as Sir Alex looks to afford him some valuable first team football at United.