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Sir Alex Ferguson names DENIS IRWIN ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo, David Beckham and Wayne Rooney as the first player in his dream Man United XI because Irishman was an 'eight out of ten' most weeks

Sir Alex Ferguson was blessed with a whole host of star names during his glorious 27-year tenure at Manchester United, but the legendary Scot's first name on his Dream XI team-sheet is certainly unexpected.

Ferguson nurtured the careers of the likes of David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Cristiano Ronaldo and Ryan Giggs at Old Trafford, romping to a mind-boggling 13 Premier League titles.

Iterations of a Greatest XI have been drafted by supporters over the years, but none of the names above would be Fergie's go-to player.

Sir Alex Ferguson (R) has named Denis Irwin (L) as the first name in his dream United XI

Sir Alex Ferguson (R) has named Denis Irwin (L) as the first name in his dream United XI

Instead, Denis Irwin - dubbed 'Mr Reliable' - would be Ferguson's first name on the teamsheet, the Scot has revealed.