We continue our 2022/23 feature series, ‘My City Nightmare XI’, with former Leeds United goalkeeper, Paul Robinson.

We chat to opposition ex-players and find out their most formidable sky blue team – created from the stars they came up against.

Robinson joined Leeds as a teenager, won the FA Youth Cup in 1996/97 and was voted Player of the Year in 2003 after breaking into the side in place of Nigel Martyn.

Robinson, one of the finest goalkeepers of his generation, made 119 appearances in total for Leeds, 95 in the Premier League, during his seven-year spell at the club before moving to Tottenham in 2004.

He went on to play for Blackburn and Burnley and made 41 appearances for England.

During his career, he came up against some City greats and here he selects his best sky blue XI.

GOALKEEPER: PETER SCHMEICHEL

I had a lot to pick from here – but Peter Schmeichel stands out.

I know he wasn’t at the pinnacle of his career during his time with Man City but for me to get to play against one of my childhood heroes was special.

To get to play against him on the same pitch was fantastic for me.

He was so commanding – he had an all-round presence.

I think he changed the art of goalkeeping. He threw the textbook out of the window and showed that it doesn’t matter how you stop the ball, it was all about stopping it – not how you stop it.

RIGHT-BACK : Pablo Zabaleta
RIGHT-BACK : Pablo Zabaleta

RIGHT-BACK: PABLO ZABALETA

Pablo Zabaleta here. Definitely.

He was so solid defensively. But he had very impressive attacking qualities too.

He had great ability to go forward. He had no problem attacking in the final third but he understood he had duties at the other end too. He knew he had responsibilities.

LEFT-BACK: ALEKSANDAR KOLAROV

I really liked Aleksandar Kolarov.

Much like Pablo Zabaleta, he had both sides of the game – he was defensively sound but he would also give you good options going forward too.

He also had an aerial threat – he was impressive from set-pieces at both ends of the pitch.

CENTRE-BACK: VINCENT KOMPANY & KOLO TOURE

I don’t think many would argue with my choice of centre-back pairing here.

They’re pretty self-explanatory.

When they were at City, there were on a completely different level to anybody else on the list I had to pick from.

Vincent and Kolo were both outstanding – and great leaders too, fantastic lads to have in the dressing room.

RIGHT MIDFIELD : Kevin De Bruyne
RIGHT MIDFIELD : Kevin De Bruyne

RIGHT MIDFIELD: KEVIN DE BRUYNE

It had to be Kevin De Bruyne.

You run out of superlatives for a player of his quality.

It’s not only his enormous talent, it’s the longevity of being right at the top of his game for so many years.

He’s been one of – if not the best – midfielder in the Premier League for countless years running.

To have been there for that length of time is truly incredible.

LEFT MIDFIELD: DAVID SILVA

You simply cannot leave David Silva out of a Manchester City team.

He is one of City’s best player of the Premier League era.

I’ve got to put him in there for his all-round quality.

He was exceptional – his vision, his passing, his ball retention.

Great players always have space – and he always had space.

CENTRAL MIDFIELD : Fernandinho
CENTRAL MIDFIELD : Fernandinho

CENTRE MIDFIELD: NIGEL DE JONG & FERNANDINHO

Nigel De Jong was an exceptional combative midfielder.

He could do both sides of the game – defensively and offensively and that’s what you want from a central midfielder.

He had great defensive capabilities but he could absolutely play higher up the pitch, too, if needed.

Fernandinho was an exceptional midfielder but not only that he could slot into the backline and play in central defence if needed – and he did it quite a bit at City.

He was another top, top player in the Premier League.

STRIKER: SHAUN GOATER

The Goat goes down in history with all Man City fans.

In that era, with the amount of goals he scored and what he means to the club, he rightly has legendary status.

I know that will be a popular choice! He is thought of so highly at the club.

QUOTE : Paul Robinson on Shaun Goater
QUOTE : Paul Robinson on Shaun Goater

STRIKER: SERGIO AGUERO

Sergio Aguero is, quite simply, one of the best strikers that the Premier League has ever seen.

He scored the most famous goal ever in English football.

The amount of goals he scored and the trophies he won, he was just exceptional.

MY CITY NIGHTMARE XI : Paul Robinson
MY CITY NIGHTMARE XI : Paul Robinson