OUR TOP FIVE DEFENSIVE DUOS
MARTIN KEOWN ALAN HANSEN & MARK LAWRENSON
For a young defender, this Liverpool pair were the benchmark. I faced them aged 19 while on loan at Brighton. Hansen was a graceful ball player and Lawrenson was quick and more mobile. Liverpool were dominant with these two.
TONY ADAMS & STEVE BOULD
I was privileged to play in Arsenal’s well-drilled back line but would never dream of picking myself! Tony and Bouldy were key players in the 1989 and 1991 title wins and I played alongside them when we won the Double in 1998. That defence worked like clockwork.
STEVE BRUCE & GARY PALLISTER
Jaap Stam was Manchester United’s best Premier League centre back but did not have a regular partner. Bruce and Pallister’s partnership was as important as Eric Cantona in establishing United as a force.
JOHN TERRY & RICARDO CARVALHO
Two pioneers for Chelsea. This rock-solid partnership conceded just 15 goals as Jose Mourinho’s side won the title in 2005. Their success created an aura which set the tone for the success of the Roman Abramovich era.
RIO FERDINAND & NEMANJA VIDIC
Whenever Rio speaks about Vidic, you can tell just how much he loved playing with him. Vidic was an outan-out defender who allowed the more cultured Ferdinand to come out with the ball. They delivered five League titles and the Champions League.
CHRIS SUTTON TONY ADAMS & MARTIN KEOWN
When I think of the great Premier League defences I go straight to Arsenal in the Nineties. Steve Bould was superb, too, but Martin would kill me if I left him out! All three were ruthless. Adams would work the centre forward. He would read the flight of the ball and nip in front of you to win it. I had never experienced anything quite like it.
RIO FERDINAND & NEMANJA VIDIC
Vidic relished scraps with strikers. Ferdinand was physical, too, but in terms of reading the game he was miles ahead of his opponents. He was such a graceful defender and superb on the ball.
STEVE BRUCE & GARY PALLISTER
Whenever I faced Bruce, I would look across at him in the tunnel and think: ‘He can’t move.’ Coming off at full-time, I would scratch my head wondering how he never gave me a kick!
JOHN TERRY & RICARDO CARVALHO
Terry was one of the greatest Premier League defenders and Carvalho best complemented him. Terry always seemed to be in the right place at the right time and Carvalho, an excellent footballer, would let him fight to win every ball and sweep things up.
SOL CAMPBELL & KOLO TOURE
How can you go a season unbeaten without a solid foundation? These two were the bedrock of Arsenal’s Invincibles. Campbell was a top competitor who could play in several positions while Toure was quick and read the game superbly.