Sir Alex Ferguson has proved a master at reshaping Manchester United. Here are three successful squads Ferguson has formed in the Premiership era, to see how the present crop measure up.

Mid-1990s

Premiership titles 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997

FA Cup 1994, 1996

Representative team P Schmeichel – P Parker, S Bruce, G Pallister, D Irwin – A Kanchelskis, R Keane, N Butt, R Giggs – E Cantona, M Hughes

I played against that defence and it was not a lot of fun. Ferguson likes defenders who can play a bit and Steve Bruce and Gary Pallister fitted that mould. More important, they were big, tough, vocal and capable of chipping in with the odd goal. The ’94 team were powerful, settled, versatile and had a lot of weapons. In later years, United would come to rely more on individuals, such as Ruud van Nistelrooy.

Eric Cantona was unique, of course, but overall this was a great unit and a successful blend of youngsters and veterans.

United won the Double in 1994 and two years later, but the manager had begun to remould a successful team. He was lucky that talented players such as David Beckham emerged. Still, Ferguson’s judgment was bold – he doesn’t hang on to players who he feels are going downhill, who have lost their edge, even if it is barely noticeable. Mark Hughes, Paul Ince and Andrei Kanchelskis – the Arjen Robben of his day, a pacy winger who was unstoppable for a while – were sold in 1995 and Paul Parker, who was injury-prone, was superseded by Gary Neville.

Turn of the century

Premiership titles 1999, 2000, 2001

FA Cup 1999

Champions League 1999

Representative team P Schmeichel – G Neville, J Stam, R Johnsen, D Irwin – D Beckham, P Scholes, R Keane, R Giggs – A Cole, D Yorke

Goals, goals, goals. United were prolific in this period – in 1999-2000 they scored 97 times in the league.

No wonder, with such attacking talent at their disposal. These days it’s accepted that big clubs will have three or four top strikers and rotate them, but it was a novelty then. Dwight Yorke confounded the doubters and was fabulous, Andrew Cole was a goal machine and the creative Teddy Sheringham and deadly Ole Gunnar Solskjaer were there, too. Four strikers who would have walked into any team in England.

The midfield was equally awesome. Beckham, Paul Scholes, Roy Keane and Ryan Giggs, all around their mid-twenties – Keane a little older – and at the peak of their powers. With a midfield and strike force so good, it’s no surprise United won the Champions League and were dominant in England, finishing above an excellent Arsenal team three years in succession.

In defence, the underrated Denis Irwin was still there and so, too, Peter Schmeichel, the best goalkeeper in the Premiership along with David Seaman. But the pairing of Jaap Stam and Ronny Johnsen – excellent though they were, especially Stam – did not quite match up to the Bruce-Pallister combination.

Now

Premiership titles 2007

FA Cup 2007?

Representative team E van der Sar – G Neville, R Ferdinand, N Vidic, P Evra – C Ronaldo, M Carrick, P Scholes, R Giggs – W Rooney, L Saha

Could surpass the tally of 91 points achieved in 1999-2000, but, unlike previous dynasties, this line-up is overreliant on one man – Cristiano Ronaldo, of course. He has been outstanding and Ferguson has tolerated the winger’s individualism more than he would have done a decade ago, when he had an intense dislike of players, even the flair ones, giving the ball away cheaply. Perhaps because it is easier to win free kicks now than it used to be, he is more relaxed about letting the Portuguese dribble.

Ronaldo apart, this team is full of good, but not great, players and the reserves – Darren Fletcher, Wes Brown, John O’Shea – are not top-drawer. Scholes and Giggs still perform but are past their peak, while Michael Carrick falls short of Keane’s levels.

Injury problems affected a solid first-choice back line, but Edwin van der Sar is not of Schmeichel’s calibre. Up front, despite showing promise, Louis Saha has been a disappointing replacement for Van Nistelrooy and may be on the way out. Wayne Rooney has done well but is not yet in Cantona’s class.

As well as Owen Hargreaves to add steel to the midfield, this team need Dimitar Berbatov in attack and Ferguson should make prising him away from Tottenham Hotspur a priority. His all-round ability is a perfect fit for United.

Verdict

It’s not simply because they won the treble, but, for me, that team of 1999 is the best. So many top players in peak form, so many options. The midfield and forward lines were frightening. Then, it’s the ’94 team – resilient, cohesive, creative and seamlessly merging experience with potential, setting the standards for years to come. The present squad has done superbly to overcome Chelsea but lacks depth, has been carried at times by Ronaldo and needs more in attack.