Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira has selected a combined starting XI from the club's Invincibles squad and the current team, picking five present-day players for his lineup. The Frenchman, who captained the unbeaten 2003-04 side, made his choices during an appearance on Sky Sports' Monday Night Football after Arsenal's 1-0 win over Burnley.
In goal, Vieira opted for David Raya over Jens Lehmann, citing the current No.1's potential to break David Seaman's clean sheet record. At right-back, Jurrien Timber replaced Lauren, while Ashley Cole kept his place on the left. The centre-back pairing saw Sol Campbell alongside Gabriel Magalhaes, with Vieira snubbing Kolo Toure and William Saliba.
In midfield, Vieira selected himself alongside Declan Rice instead of Gilberto Silva. On the wings, Bukayo Saka replaced Freddie Ljungberg on the right, while Robert Pires remained on the left. Up front, the legendary duo of Dennis Bergkamp and Thierry Henry kept their places.
Vieira acknowledged the difficulty of comparing generations but praised Mikel Arteta's work, noting the significant spending. He suggested that if Arsenal win both the Premier League and Champions League, the current team would be remembered as one of the greatest, though not necessarily the best. Jamie Carragher, also on the show, echoed this sentiment, comparing the situation to Manchester United's 1999 and 2008 sides.
