Man United vs Celtic: Who are the Manchester United legends?

With the ongoing international break putting a hiatus on games for the current Manchester United squad, a team of ex-players will be facing a group of Celtic legends on Saturday.

Taking place at Old Trafford, the contest will see greats of United’s past return to the Premier League ground against ex-Celtic players, raising funds for the Manchester United Foundation.

With a squad featuring three former Manchester United captains, several members of the Class of ’92, and legendary goalscorers, here is the full list of ex-players returning to the Theatre of Dreams on Saturday:

Goalkeepers:

Anders Lindegaard – Spending five years in Manchester, Lindegaard would make 29 appearances, including starting in Sir Alex Ferguson’s final game as United boss.

Kevin Pilkington – A member of the Class of ’92, Pilkington would make eight appearances for the first team, six of which came in the Premier League.

Raimond van der Gouw – Fighting Mark Bosnich for the #1 keeper position following Peter Schmeichel’s exit, Bosnich became a valued member of the team. Making 60 appearances for United, Van der Gouw served the Red Devils both as a coach and player during his time with the club.

Defenders:

Antonio Valencia – The first of three former United captains to feature on this list, Antonio Valencia represented the kind of player every good squad needs. Valencia would star as both a right-winger and full-back during his time with the club.

Danny Simpson – Making eight appearances for the United first-team, Simpson’s greatest accomplishment in his footballing career came after his United career ended. A member of Leicester City’s incredible Premier League winning season, Simpson would play in 30 out of 38 Prem games that season.

Simpson recently fought YouTuber Danny Aarons to a draw on a Misfits/DAZN pay-per-view card in Dublin.

Phil Bardsley – Born and bred in Salford, Bardsley had the city of Manchester in his DNA. Rising through each level of the academy, Bardsley would make his first-team debut in 2003. Following that, Bardsley would make a further 17 appearances, before leaving in 2007 for Sunderland.

Ronny Johnsen – A member of that treble-winning team, Johnsen would start and play the entirety of the final against Barcelona. Picking up seven trophies whilst in Manchester, Johnsen would leave in 2002, moving to Aston Villa.

Danny Pugh – Moving up the ranks of United’s youth setup, Pugh would eventually make seven appearances for United before leaving for pastures new. Pugh went on to have a successful career in the English football pyramid, including a several-season return to the Prem with Stoke City.

Mikael Silvestre – Signed the year after Manchester United’s iconic treble, Silvestre would go on to make 361 appearances for United. Winning all four major honours in the English game and the Champions League, Silvestre’s time in Manchester was riddled with trophies.

Midfielders:

Darren Fletcher – With 342 appearances for United, Fletcher’s importance to the club goes without saying. A five-time Premier League winner, Fletcher returned to the club in 2020 working as an integral part of the backroom staff.

Fletcher’s children Jack and Tyler are both part of the Manchester United academy as of the time of writing.

Karel Poborsky – Winning silverware on his debut for the club, Poborsky would spend one and a half seasons with United. A Premier League and Community Shield winner, Poborsky’s time at the club also aligned with him being named Czech Footballer of the Year in 1996.

Paul Scholes – A contender for the greatest player to ever play for Manchester United, Paul Scholes’ legacy is undeniable. With 718 appearances and 25 trophies, there will never be another Paul Scholes.

Nicky Butt – Described by Sir Alex Ferguson as a “perfect ally,” Nicky Butt never failed to give his all when playing for Manchester United. A reliable presence, Butt’s 387 appearances rank him 36th on the all-time competitive appearance rankings for the Red Devils.

Eric Djemba-Djemba – The first, and until Andre Onana the only player from Cameroon to lace up his boots for Manchester United, Djemba-Djemba had a largely underwhelming time in Manchester. Spending just two years at United, Djemba-Djemba’s finest moment was a stunning game-winning volley against Leeds in 2003.

Chris Eagles – Making his debut in 2003, Eagles would go on to play 17 times for the Red Devils. After United, Eagles would spend the majority of his career in the North of England, playing for various clubs.

Luke Chadwick – Frequently called upon in the 00/01, and 01/02 seasons, Chadwick would make 39 appearances for United under Sir Alex Ferguson, picking up one Premier League.

Michael Carrick – With 17 trophies across his Red Devils career, Carrick was a true icon of the Sir Alex Ferguson era and beyond. Often the unsung hero, Carrick’s 17 honours with United mean only four players in the club’s history have won more silverware than him with the team.

Forwards:

Fraizer Campbell – Making four senior appearances for United, Campbell would remain a Premier League regular for the majority of his post-Red Devils career. Playing a further nine seasons in the division, Campbell starred for sides such as Tottenham, Sunderland and Crystal Palace.

Dimitar Berbatov – The man with possibly the finest first touch in football, Berbatov spent a memorable four years as part of the United squad. An integral part of two Premier League winning seasons, Berbatov would leave in the summer of 2012.

Danny Webber – A highly thought-of member of United’s youth system, Webber would make three appearances for the senior team before leaving on a permanent move to Watford.

Wayne Rooney – Man United’s all-time top goalscorer, Rooney left the club in the summer of 2017 to return to boyhood side Everton, leaving as arguably the club’s greatest-ever striker. A member of the Premier League Hall of Fame, Rooney is the current manager of Championship side Plymouth Argyle.

Celtic’s team is expected to feature players such as Artur Boruc, Scott Brown, Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink and Gary Hooper.

Manchester United Legends vs Celtic Legends will kick off at 14:00pm (BST).

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