LONDON, May 25 (Reuters) - Penpix of Manchester United players ahead of Saturday's Champions League final against Barcelona at Wembley:
Goalkeepers
1-EDWIN VAN DER SAR, age 40. This will be the final game for the long-lasting Dutchman who has previously won the Champions League with Ajax Amsterdam and United. Like one of his manager's fine red wines, he has improved with age and remains alert, agile, dominating and reliable.
29-THOMAS KUSZCZAK, 29. Back-up keeper who makes good saves but lacks consistency and has struggled to convince fans that he has the quality to become the club's regular number one.
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Defenders
20-FABIO DA SILVA, 20. Has emerged as Ferguson's favoured right back. Full of energy and, for a little man, fiercely aggressive in the tackle, though the Brazilian can be guilty of wandering.
21-RAFAEL DA SILVA, 20. Fabio's twin and an equally mobile rival for the right-back role.
5-RIO FERDINAND, 32. Another injury-plagued season has taken the edge off some of his performances but he is still an elegant, calming influence at the heart of United's defence. His mobility will get the ultimate test against Barcelona, particularly when Lionel Messi runs at him.
15-NEMANJA VIDIC, 29. Voted the club's player of the season by fans and team mates alike, the Serbian has been a colossus this season. Has all the granite qualities of the best centre halves but is also unflappable and has weighed in with some important goals. Loves a bruising battle with a big forward but is less comfortable against a tricky small man.
3-PATRICE EVRA, 30. The France left back has been one of United's most consistent players for years and he has barely missed a game this season. Calmly efficient in defence and always a willing support runner in attack.
22-JOHN O'SHEA, 30. Ferguson's go-to man to fill a defensive hole for more than a decade. Nominally a centre back, he has played all across the back four and as a solid, safe but unspectacular performer and he is the perfect defensive substitute.
23-JOHNNY EVANS, 24. Talented centre back whom Ferguson rates highly and would be first choice at most clubs but he is destined to spend most of his time watching Vidic and Ferdinand perform.
12-CHRIS SMALLING, 21. One for the future. Has looked assured in the few games he has played, even in some big matches, and could be the man to replace Ferdinand sooner rather than later.
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Midfielders
25-ANTONIO VALENCIA, 25. His return in March after a six-month absence with a broken ankle really galvanised United. Full of energy, the Ecuador international gets into dangerous positions and more often than not picks out his target with the final ball.
11-RYAN GIGGS, 37. Ridiculously experienced midfielder who last week picked up his 12th Premier League winner's medal. Rarely goes past a defender any more but still brilliantly able to create holes in defences with the angle of his passes, his movement and his superb ball control. Off-field controversies are unlikely to distract him on the night.
18-PAUL SCHOLES, 36. Clinging on to past glories, he can still ping a superb pass, strike a stinging shot and manoeuvre defenders into a spin. Comfortably the worst tackler in the team, if not the country, and Ferguson will be wary of risking him against the quicksilver Barcelona midfield.
13-PARK JI-SUNG, 30. The South Korean's extraordinary work rate and passing accuracy have slowly but surely turned him into a crowd favourite -- having convinced Ferguson years ago. Could well be United's most important player on Saturday as he will run himself to exhaustion in his bid to upset Barcelona's midfield passing patterns.
24-DARREN FLETCHER, 27. Fighting for match fitness after a long-term absence through illness, the Scot would have been another man ideally suited to ensure Xavi et al would not be able to pass their way through the game unmolested. Likely to start on the bench but could well come on to take over the fire-fighting duties when Park runs out of gas. Missed the 2009 final through suspension and was an unused substitute in 2008.
17-NANI, 24. Hugely skilful, creative, dangerous but lightweight winger with an eye for goal. Too often this season his final pass has been wayward and the Portuguese could be edged out of the starting lineup by the revitalised Valencia.
16-MICHAEL CARRICK, 29. After the slowest of slow burns, the elegant England midfielder seems finally to have established himself though there are still not many United fans complaining when Carrick's name is missing from the team sheet. Superb passer of the ball, short and long, and though his defence is good, it could be stretched on Saturday.
9-ANDERSON, 23. Talented but inconsistent, the Brazilian has become a second-string stalwart.
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Forwards
14-JAVIER HERNANDEZ, 22. The Mexican has been a huge bonus for United after they bought him with an eye on the future. Has pace and the uncoachable ability to drift into the right positions around goal as well as the wide-ranging technical ability to put away chances of every type.
10-WAYNE ROONEY, 25. A strong end to a strange season for the England centre forward who has looked at his best playing in a slightly deeper role behind Hernandez. Immensely powerful and aggressive, he will relish the occasion. His muscular approach will pose new problems for the Barcelona defenders but they will do their best to provoke him in a bid to light his short fuse.
9-DIMITAR BERBATOV, 30. Despite being the Premier League's joint top-scorer with 20 goals the Bulgarian has been forced on to the bench by the success of the Rooney/Hernandez axis. However, his unquestionable talent and ability to conjure up something special make him the ideal man to be brought on to change a game.
Goalkeepers
1-EDWIN VAN DER SAR, age 40. This will be the final game for the long-lasting Dutchman who has previously won the Champions League with Ajax Amsterdam and United. Like one of his manager's fine red wines, he has improved with age and remains alert, agile, dominating and reliable.
29-THOMAS KUSZCZAK, 29. Back-up keeper who makes good saves but lacks consistency and has struggled to convince fans that he has the quality to become the club's regular number one.
----
Defenders
20-FABIO DA SILVA, 20. Has emerged as Ferguson's favoured right back. Full of energy and, for a little man, fiercely aggressive in the tackle, though the Brazilian can be guilty of wandering.
21-RAFAEL DA SILVA, 20. Fabio's twin and an equally mobile rival for the right-back role.
5-RIO FERDINAND, 32. Another injury-plagued season has taken the edge off some of his performances but he is still an elegant, calming influence at the heart of United's defence. His mobility will get the ultimate test against Barcelona, particularly when Lionel Messi runs at him.
15-NEMANJA VIDIC, 29. Voted the club's player of the season by fans and team mates alike, the Serbian has been a colossus this season. Has all the granite qualities of the best centre halves but is also unflappable and has weighed in with some important goals. Loves a bruising battle with a big forward but is less comfortable against a tricky small man.
3-PATRICE EVRA, 30. The France left back has been one of United's most consistent players for years and he has barely missed a game this season. Calmly efficient in defence and always a willing support runner in attack.
22-JOHN O'SHEA, 30. Ferguson's go-to man to fill a defensive hole for more than a decade. Nominally a centre back, he has played all across the back four and as a solid, safe but unspectacular performer and he is the perfect defensive substitute.
23-JOHNNY EVANS, 24. Talented centre back whom Ferguson rates highly and would be first choice at most clubs but he is destined to spend most of his time watching Vidic and Ferdinand perform.
12-CHRIS SMALLING, 21. One for the future. Has looked assured in the few games he has played, even in some big matches, and could be the man to replace Ferdinand sooner rather than later.
----
Midfielders
25-ANTONIO VALENCIA, 25. His return in March after a six-month absence with a broken ankle really galvanised United. Full of energy, the Ecuador international gets into dangerous positions and more often than not picks out his target with the final ball.
11-RYAN GIGGS, 37. Ridiculously experienced midfielder who last week picked up his 12th Premier League winner's medal. Rarely goes past a defender any more but still brilliantly able to create holes in defences with the angle of his passes, his movement and his superb ball control. Off-field controversies are unlikely to distract him on the night.
18-PAUL SCHOLES, 36. Clinging on to past glories, he can still ping a superb pass, strike a stinging shot and manoeuvre defenders into a spin. Comfortably the worst tackler in the team, if not the country, and Ferguson will be wary of risking him against the quicksilver Barcelona midfield.
13-PARK JI-SUNG, 30. The South Korean's extraordinary work rate and passing accuracy have slowly but surely turned him into a crowd favourite -- having convinced Ferguson years ago. Could well be United's most important player on Saturday as he will run himself to exhaustion in his bid to upset Barcelona's midfield passing patterns.
24-DARREN FLETCHER, 27. Fighting for match fitness after a long-term absence through illness, the Scot would have been another man ideally suited to ensure Xavi et al would not be able to pass their way through the game unmolested. Likely to start on the bench but could well come on to take over the fire-fighting duties when Park runs out of gas. Missed the 2009 final through suspension and was an unused substitute in 2008.
17-NANI, 24. Hugely skilful, creative, dangerous but lightweight winger with an eye for goal. Too often this season his final pass has been wayward and the Portuguese could be edged out of the starting lineup by the revitalised Valencia.
16-MICHAEL CARRICK, 29. After the slowest of slow burns, the elegant England midfielder seems finally to have established himself though there are still not many United fans complaining when Carrick's name is missing from the team sheet. Superb passer of the ball, short and long, and though his defence is good, it could be stretched on Saturday.
9-ANDERSON, 23. Talented but inconsistent, the Brazilian has become a second-string stalwart.
---
Forwards
14-JAVIER HERNANDEZ, 22. The Mexican has been a huge bonus for United after they bought him with an eye on the future. Has pace and the uncoachable ability to drift into the right positions around goal as well as the wide-ranging technical ability to put away chances of every type.
10-WAYNE ROONEY, 25. A strong end to a strange season for the England centre forward who has looked at his best playing in a slightly deeper role behind Hernandez. Immensely powerful and aggressive, he will relish the occasion. His muscular approach will pose new problems for the Barcelona defenders but they will do their best to provoke him in a bid to light his short fuse.
9-DIMITAR BERBATOV, 30. Despite being the Premier League's joint top-scorer with 20 goals the Bulgarian has been forced on to the bench by the success of the Rooney/Hernandez axis. However, his unquestionable talent and ability to conjure up something special make him the ideal man to be brought on to change a game.
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