Top 10 greatest Manchester United midfielders of all time

#7: Nicky Butt

Nicky Butt celebrates his famous winner against fierce rivals Leeds United

If there was any trouble, you could look to your right or left and Nicky would be there to sort it out!

Very few of all the people who saw the midfielder with gold hair would disagree to the fact that he was a perfect successor to Irishman Roy Keane. Paul Scholes has been perfect in describing the crucial attribute that made Nicky Butt one of the most revered players in the history of United.

A graduate of the famous Manchester United youth academy, Nicky Butt was one of the ablest defenders the Manchester-based club has seen in its history.

Butt proved to be an apt replacement for the team after Paul Ince's departure in 1994. The sturdy and tenacious midfielder had attributes similar to the legendary Roy Keane, being hard as a nail in both his game and attitude on the pitch. Like the others, you could always count on Nicky Butt to be a huge influence in big games.

The Manchester-born lad was always known to deliver his best in times of need. Butt is always remembered for his superb winner versus Leeds United in 1998, slotting the ball with a turn past keeper Paul Robinson.

United were put in grave peril as Roy Keane and Paul Scholes were out of action in the Champions League final against Bayer Munich in 1999. However, Butt stepped up magnificently to the occasion and put in an energetic ninety minutes as United cruised to a thrilling 2-1 victory over the Bavarians.

Butt netted 26 times in an illustrious 12-year career from 1992 to 2004, winning 15 laurels with the club. He departed to Newcastle after seeing a shortage of playing time at Old Trafford.