Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney has claimed four of the former Red Devils he won the 2008 Champions League with would get into the current Manchester City side.
Old Trafford's record goalscorer played a starring role as what was then Sir Alex Ferguson's United side toppled Chelsea on penalties during a rainy final in Moscow. That side also won the Premier League that year, but City are on course to match the exploits of United's iconic 1999 side and win the treble.
Pep Guardiola's men lead the Premier League by a single point and will meet United in the FA Cup final next month under the Wembley arch. But first, they have a two-legged Champions League final against Spanish giants Real Madrid to prepare for.
Rooney has conceded that this City outfit would just about get the better of that United side, but insisted that four of his ex-team-mates would have made the City starting line-up.
'There were players in our team who would have got into this City side," Rooney wrote in the Times. "Paul Scholes would have been perfect, Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic too.
"I believe I would have fitted into it as well — and I would have loved to play with Kevin De Bruyne and [Erling] Haaland."
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While the players Rooney named boast incredible quality, the ones that he has overlooked will certainly raise eyebrows.
The most notable omission is of course five-time Ballon d'Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo, who Rooney clearly doesn't think could have got into Guardiola's treble-chasing side.
The pair have seen their relationship suffer damage in recent months, with Ronaldo publicly airing his frustrations with Rooney after the ex-England international claimed the former United number seven should not have refused to come off the bench during a win over Tottenham earlier this season.
"I don't know why he criticises me so badly," the Portugal ace told Piers Morgan. "Probably because he finished his career and I'm still playing at a high level."
"I'm not going to say that I'm looking better than him. Which is true... but it's hard to listen to that kind of criticism and negativity from people who play with you for example, Gary Neville, as well."
Meanwhile, Rooney has put club rivalries aside to admit that should City go the distance and win all three of the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup, they would have to be recognised alongside United's 99 side.
"If they win the Champions League and the title, much as it pains me, I think you’d have to put City up there with United’s 1999 treble winners as the best Premier League team of all time. "
