GARETH BARRY

An excellent servant to Aston Villa for over a decade, Barry moved to Manchester City in the summer of 2009 to increase his international prospects and give himself a chance of winning a major trophy.

The left-footed midfielder had become one of the most reliable in the Premier League while at Villa and built a reputation for his versatility and consistency. His form did not go unnoticed by England boss Fabio Capello, who gave him a holding role in the centre of midfield.

Barry was first called up by Kevin Keegan in 2000 and has featured under every manager since, but suffered a four-year international exile under Sven Goran Eriksson until 2007.

He was heavily linked with a move to Liverpool in 2008, but he remained at Villa Park for another season before heading to Eastlands. After a solid but unspectacular first season, he will be looking to improve in his second year as competition for places increases.

Strengths: An excellent passer of the ball, Barry’s great strength is his versatility which allows him to play as a holding midfielder, attacking midfielder, or defender. He is also a cool penalty taker.

Weaknesses: Up against the very best, he has struggled to match up, while he is also lacking a burst of pace.

Career high: His two performances for England against Israel and Russia in September 2007 led many to claim that he should be first-choice alongside Steven Gerrard in central midfield.

Career low: Stripped of the Villa captaincy after his courting of a move to Liverpool, he clashed with Martin O’Neill and angered his loyal fans.

Style: Confident, versatile, industrious, a top squad player.

Quotes: ”He just comes in and gets the job done on a daily basis. You can hang your hat on Gareth Barry - he’s able to produce performance after performance and that is invaluable to any team.” Mark Hughes, October 2009

Trivia: Gareth Barry’s agent is his former Brighton and Aston Villa team-mate Michael Standing.