3. Michael Carrick: The Anchorman
Michael Carrick is currently in the best form of his career, propping up the midfield with a characteristic self-assurance, protecting the back line and initiating attacks with equal dexterity. The Geordie maestro has reached a peak in his game that looked unlikely to materialise a few seasons ago, with some having deemed him past his best after a no-show in the 2009 Champions League final against the imperious Barcelona. Carrick is surely to be the first name on the team-sheet after only making a substitute appearance in Sundays victory over Everton, and if United are to prevent themselves from being overrun by Madrid, Carrick will need to be on-song. On his day, he can dictate matches with divine ease, a quality attributed to his superb ball retention and a visionary perspective that only a few other of his contemporaries possess. In Xabi Alonso, Carrick will meet his match. The Spaniard performs in a similar role, and is arguably more accomplished, having been a regular fixture in the national side as Spains reign of dominance shows no sign of relenting. At Madrid, he is the fulcrum of the team, anchoring the centre with a cool, collected supremacy. Alonso is a cunning player with a splendid passing range, but having played in the Premier League with Liverpool for five seasons he is no stranger to physicality and will not shirk a challenge when the studs go flying. He and Carrick are the same age and are now firmly experienced heads, and if one of them were to have an off-day, it would have a domino effect of devastating proportions. To put it succinctly: if they play, their team plays.