Manchester United legend Denis Irwin has hailed Patrice Evra as the
club's player of the season and the best left-back in the world.
Irwin should know a thing or two about the position, having
played there in the 1999 Champions League final, one of his 529
appearances in a 12-year stint with the Old Trafford outfit.
And, whilst he accepts there is competition, particularly
from Ashley Cole, Irwin has no doubt Evra is currently the best at
his art.
"Patrice is the number one," said Irwin.
"Ashley Cole has improved an awful lot this season. But
Patrice has come on a lot too and this year has been his best."
In fact, so effective has Evra been, during a period when he
was the only regular member of United's back four to remain
injury-free, Irwin feels he edges Wayne Rooney as United's player
of the season.
The Irishman admits the view is shaped partly by solidarity
amongst the full-back fraternity.
But Irwin does feel Evra's performances have been worthy of
the highest praise.
"Wayne Rooney has been tremendous, particularly over the past
three months," said Irwin.
"But Patrice Evra has been every bit as good. He has been
very consistent at a really high level.
"Regardless of what Wayne has done, Patrice has been our
player of the season. Unfortunately for full-backs, centre-forwards
get all the glory because they score goals."
Not that it looked like being that way when Evra first
arrived from Monaco for £5million four years ago.
The 28-year-old struggled badly during his first few months
in England, finding the sheer pace of the game virtually beyond
him.
Slowly though, the adaptation process was completed, and now
he is looking to maintain his record of winning the title in every
full season he has spent with United.
"He came in a January, at the same time as Nemanja Vidic, and
they both struggled," recalled Irwin.
"The Premier League was totally different to the league he
was playing in. It is a different culture, different weather,
different everything.
"You have to get used to all that. But since that first
couple of games he has come on leaps and bounds.
"He always looked good going forward but defensively Patrice
has improved an awful lot."
Evra will set his sights on beating Liverpool at Old Trafford
on Sunday as United look to maintain their position at the top of
the Premier League.
Meanwhile, in the rather less glamorous surroundings of
Altrincham's Moss Lane, it is anticipated Owen Hargreaves will take
the first steps on his comeback trail on Thursday evening.
Hargreaves pulled out of a planned first appearance in 18
months since surgery on both knees to cure a tendinitis problem
last week, but Sir Alex Ferguson was more bullish when he spoke
about the England international last Friday and it would be a
disappointment if he was not involved against Burnley's second
string.
