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29 March 2024

Man Utd dominate Premier League fantasy team

No room for Wayne Rooney of Manchester United in the Premier League's fantasy team. (FILE)

Published
By Reuters

Manchester United may have lost the 2012 title but their domination of the Premier League was reflected when seven of their players were named in a fantasy team from the competition's 20 years selected by experts. 

Central defender Rio Ferdinand, midfielder Paul Scholes and left winger Ryan Giggs were the three current United players to make the side. 

They were joined by three members of the squad who won the treble in 1999, right back Gary Neville, goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel and midfielder Roy Keane, with Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo completing the Old Trafford contingent. 

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Chelsea left back Ashley Cole, Arsenal central defender Tony Adams, Blackburn Rovers and Newcastle United striker Alan Shearer and Arsenal forward Thierry Henry completed the line-up.

Man Utd miss out on top awards again

Newcastle United's Alan Pardew was named Premier League manager of the season on Friday to cap an impressive campaign in which he turned his unfancied side into contenders for Champions League qualification.

Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany was named player of the season.

Newcastle are fifth in the table with one game to play at Everton on Sunday and could qualify for the Champions League if other results go their way.  

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Former Charlton Athletic and West Ham United manager Pardew has won plaudits for rebuilding his side with some astute moves in the transfer market. 

In place of Andy Carroll, who joined Liverpool for 35 million pounds ($56.34 million) in January 2011, Pardew brought in strikers Demba Ba in June and Papiss Cisse in January this year. 

The Senegalese duo have scored 29 league goals between them and Pardew also did well to sign France midfielder Yohan Cabaye in the close season.  

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Belgian international Kompany has led league leaders City to the brink of their first top-flight crown since 1968. 

The centre back has been at the heart of a well-orchestrated defence that has conceded six goals fewer than title rivals Manchester United.

Rooney's overhead kick named best Premier League goal

Wayne Rooney's overhead kick for Manchester United against Manchester City in February last season has been voted by fans as the best goal of the 20 years of the Premier League, it was announced on Thursday. 

Rooney's acrobatic effort, which gave United a 2-1 home victory and helped them to win last term's title, was the only goal from the last 10 years among the nominees.

Dennis Bergkamp's swivel and finish for Arsenal against Newcastle United in 2002 and team mate Thierry Henry's dipping flick and volley against Manchester United in 2000 were second and third respectively.

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The Premier League said in a statement that hundreds of thousands of fans had voted and that the top three received more than half the public vote, with Rooney garnering 26 per cent, Bergkamp 19 per cent and Henry 15 per cent.

"I grew up watching the Premier League so to be voted the best goal in the history of the Premier League is a great feeling," Rooney said.  

"I'd like to say a big thank you to all the fans that voted for me."     

Ex-United player David Beckham won the 10-year award in 2002 for his goal from the halfway line against Wimbledon in 1996.      

A series of awards including best match, save and best goal celebration have been launched to mark the 20 years of the Premier League with results from the other online fan polls due in the coming weeks.         

Rooney failed to reproduce his stunning goal in Monday's derby when City won 1-0 to leave the title in their grasp with two games left.