Evra reveals fight with team-mate Vidic

Speaking at a recent event for Maui Jim, United's official vision partner, Evra revealed that the situation was so bad after a 'fight' during Sir Alex Ferguson's glorious reign that the manager even shifted Rio Ferdinand into the left-sided central slot instead of Vidic.

Thankfully, the pair made peace and are still firm friends today. Having joined the Reds around the same time, the Frenchman and the Serbian overcame awkward openings to their Old Trafford careers before proving their true worth and enjoying Champions League glory in 2008, among many other major honours.

With both having such a fierce desire to win, it was maybe indicative of the spirit of the defensive unit at the time that the primary goal remained team success.

"We arrived at the same time and we struggled together," said Evra, during an on-stage Q&A. "We were at the same hotel, I remember, and we were so bad at the beginning, me and him.

"The manager sent us to play with the Reserves and the coach was Rene [Meulensteen]. After 45 minutes, he subbed us – in the Reserves! In the dressing room, Vida was saying, 'My agent called me, I need to go back to Moscow.' Also, my agent called me and said they had [interest from] AS Roma. It was difficult here.

"So we struggled together. It’s why I have a lot of respect for Vida."

Evra then confessed: "To be honest, we also fought. We had a fight – me and him – and didn’t speak for three months. We played together and we didn’t even say a word. I never told him to go left or go right. He was the same. Ferguson had to swap Rio Ferdinand to play on the left side with me!

"It was like that for three months until, after a game, I remember he came to me in the dressing room and gave me a high-five. Everyone was like 'finally' because we were best friends together, Vida and me. We have a deep story together.

"I love him so much. We struggled but we were really real, me and him. If we were doing something wrong, we’d argue but, in the same way, it was a really great relationship."

Another member of United's Champions League-winning side in 2008, Wes Brown, was also at the Maui Jim event and cheekily asked who won the fight between Evra and Vidic as he didn't remember it taking place.

"You weren't there," retorted Patrice. "You went to Sunderland and you played PlayStation!" 

The special event at Old Trafford celebrated Maui Jim's latest club collection, which you can view here.