Paul Scholes and Gary Neville argue over best-ever Man Utd XI – naming 1999 and 2008 squads, but which legend is right?

MANCHESTER UNITED legends Paul Scholes and Gary Neville argued over whether the 1999 or 2008 side was the Red Devils' best-ever XI.

The two members of the Class of 92 played in both sides but had differing opinions on which team was ultimately the best.

Former midfielder Scholes favours the Treble-winning side from 1999 whileretired right-back Neville prefers the 2008 team.

The United squad from 2008 also bagged the Champions League and Premier League titles under legendary boss Sir Alex Ferguson.

The 1999 squad won 22 out of their 38 league games, drawing 13 and losing just three to finish on 79 points – one ahead of rivals Arsenal – before defeating Newcastle in the FA Cup final at Wembley.

In 2008, United finished on more points with 87 but lost two more games, suffering five defeats in total, and were knocked out of the FA Cup by eventual winners Portsmouth in the sixth round.

However, they won five more matches with 27 three-pointers and only drew six times as they held off Chelsea – who they also beat on penalties in Moscow to become European kings – for another Prem crown.

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Pundit Neville believes the 2008 side had a core made up of eight world class players who would make it into any side in the world.

He told Sky Sports: "Without that great Barcelona team [2009-2011], I think that this [2008 United team] would’ve been the greatest.

"There were eight players, I would say at the time Edwin Van der Sar, Patrice Evra, Nemanja Vidic, Rio Ferdinand, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs, Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo, Carlos Tevez, you could put them in any team in the world, they were world class.

"I don’t think Manchester United have ever had a team that had so many world class players, and I look back at all the teams in history.

"Of course there has been world class players at Manchester United but to have eight, almost nine, best in position – almost in the world at that time – it was an unbelievable team."

However, Scholes – who had a brief spell as Salford City interim boss this season – disagreed with his old pal, preferring the embarrassment of attacking riches United had in 1999.

He told DAZN: "I think Gary Neville thinks that’s the best team he played in with them three [Ronaldo, Tevez and Rooney]. I preferred the four in 1999.

"Don’t get me wrong Rooney, Ronaldo, Tevez what a threesome – absolutely devastating speed on the counter attack but for me playing with Teddy [Sheringham] and [Dwight] Yorke in that No10 position it was always a position I liked to link with and then Ole [Gunnar Solskjaer] and [Andy] Coley brilliant again.

"There’s not a lot to choose between them. I probably enjoyed it more because I was getting involved with the forward players and not so much in 2008."

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