Team of the year open to question

The Professional Footballers’ Association revealed their team of the year on Sunday and there were few dissenting voices when it emerged the XI was dominated by players from Manchester United.

Alex Ferguson’s men may have been unconvincing in scraping a 1-1 draw with Middlesbrough at Old Trafford on Saturday – and lucky given Boro’s strong claims for an injury-time penalty – but they have been the Barclays Premiership’s highest scorers and biggest entertainers this season.

That was reflected by the inclusion of eight Red Devils in the PFA’s select side – voted for by professional footballers up and down the land.

But is that predominance borne out by the statistics?

According to the Actim Index, which has monitored each player’s performance throughout the season, it is not.

In fact, only three United players would make the Actim XI at this late stage of the campaign – Rio Ferdinand, Wayne Rooney and, of course, the irrepressible Cristiano Ronaldo.

Ironically, Rooney (with an index score of 549) was one of few of United’s regular starters not to make the PFA’s side, but he would take his place alongside Chelsea’s Didier Drogba (610) in the Actim attack – ahead of Tottenham striker Dimitar Berbatov (487).

That leaves goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar, defenders Gary Neville, Nemanja Vidic and Patrice Evra and midfielders Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes who would also not make the best team on performance data alone.

The other exclusion would see Liverpool captain and last season’s PFA Player of the Year Steven Gerrard dropped from centre midfield.

However, like Chelsea, the Reds would be better represented overall in the Actim team, with goalkeeper Jose Reina (456) being joined by ultra-consistent right-back Steve Finnan (464).

Accompanying the Liverpool duo and Ferdinand (450) in the backline would be Blues centre-half Ricardo Carvalho (461) and Everton’s versatile Joleon Lescott (426), here filling in on the left flank.

In midfield, PFA Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year Ronaldo (576) would patrol the right wing with Aston Villa’s Gareth Barry (525) on the other side.

A central partnership of Frank Lampard (559) and Cesc Fabregas (520) might not provide much cover for the defence, but goals would certainly flow with Drogba and Rooney ready to benefit from their incisive passing.

That means United and Chelsea would provide three players apiece to the Actim XI – arguably a better reflection of the season given their too-close-to-call battle in the Premiership and beyond.

ACTIM XI:

Jose Reina (Liverpool)

Steve Finnan (Liverpool)

Rio Ferdinand (Man Utd)

Ricardo Carvalho (Chelsea)

Joleon Lescott (Everton)

Cristiano Ronaldo (Man Utd)

Cesc Fabregas (Arsenal)

Frank Lampard (Chelsea)

Gareth Barry (Aston Villa)

Wayne Rooney (Man Utd)

Didier Drogba (Chelsea)