Famous pundit and ex-Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has revealed his favorite center-back pairing in Premier League history.
The Englishman revealed this in his Telegraph column. He primed Arsenal defensive duo William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes to go on and earn themselves the mandate of one of the greatest defensive pairings the English top-flight has ever seen. He however insisted the duo currently lacked something to be mentioned in that breath.
Jamie Carragher on his best Premier League defenders
Note that the Premier League has been the hotbed of some of the best footballers. Several world-class center-backs have graced the English top flight over the years. The likes of John Terry, Rio Ferdinand, and Nemanja Vidic, to name a few, make up this exclusive list.
Jamie Carragher, who played 737 times across all competitions for Liverpool, played with and against many of these illustrious names.
However, he stated in his column, that the duo that stood out for him was ex-Chelsea pair John Terry and Ricardo Carvalho, with him sharing the pitch with the former in international colors.
He attributed their ranking to their achievement during the 2004-05 season, during which the duo played a big part in Chelsea Premier League title win. They conceded only a record 15 goals during the length of the league season.
The pair played 158 times together across all competitions, staggeringly winning 106 of those games and losing only 24.
Former Manchester United duo Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic came second on his list. He cited the contribution of the duo defensively to Alex Ferguson’s attacking side as his reason. Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic played a big part in the five Premier League titles the team won between 2007 and 2013. They reached three Champions League finals in four years, winning it once.
Another United defensive pairings Steve Bruce and Gary Pallister stood out amongst several other names mentioned by Jamie Carragher.
He also included himself among the best. The 46 year-old stated that his most successful period in a Liverpool shirt came when he was paired with Sami Hyypia.
The pair played a whopping 405 games together for Liverpool, winning 229 of those matches and notably started together in the 2005 Champions League final.
Gabriel Magalhaes still Jamie Carragher’s favorite defender
Despite the big names that made Carragher’s list, he insisted Gabriel Magalhaes is still among the best, especially for his goal-scoring role.
“Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba are absolution the best defensive pairing right now. They are good. It is just that a major silverware is what is keeping them below other legendary defenders the Premier League has known,” Carragher wrote in the The Telegraph.
Carragher comments came after watching Arsenal’s Gabriel help his side clinch all three points in the North London derby. Magalhaes scored the solitary goal in the game, making it 16 times he has found the back of the net for his team since signing in 2020.
His defensive partner, William Saliba (since 2022), has been crucial in Arsenal’s bid for the Premier League title in the past two seasons.
The duo have played in 84 games across all competitions for the Gunners, and have exhibited a unique sense of understanding.
Beyond the clutch tackles, the pair have also been known to get clutch goals for their team. They are known and feared for their aerial ability prowess.
However, a major trophy has eluded them with Arsenal struggling to win the Premier League since legendary manager Arsene Wenger did it in 2003/04 season.
Nevertheless, the pair can be considered as the best Premier League defenders right now. While Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk can make the fray, his partnership with Ibrahim Konate is not at the level of William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes.
