- Jamie Carragher has named the best centre-back pairing in Premier League history
- The former Liverpool star also praised William Saliba and Gabriel
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Jamie Carragher has fielded the best centre-back partnership in Premier League history.
The former Liverpool defender also added that Arsenal duo William Saliba and Gabriel were on the verge of being considered as one of the best partnerships in the top flight as well.
But Carragher added there was one thing the defensive duo needed to achieve before they could join that exclusive group of players.
Over the years, the Premier League has had a plethora of top-class defenders. Some of those names have been Rio Ferdinand, Vincent Kompany and John Terry, who won 15 Premier League titles between them.
Carragher, who made 737 appearances for Liverpool in all competitions during his career, played with and against many of those illustrious names.
Jamie Carragher has named the best centre-back pairing in Premier League history
Carragher insisted Arsenal duo Gabriel (left) and William Saliba (right) are on the verge of joining an elite group of the Premier League’s best centre-back partnerships.
But writing in his column in The telegraphCarragher insisted former Chelsea captain Terry and his old team-mate Ricardo Carvalho were the best centre-back partnership in the league’s history.
The former Liverpool and England star said: “They were the foundation of Jose Mourinho’s brilliant Chelsea side, rewriting records and redefining what was possible at the highest level by conceding just 15 goals in a Premier League season in 2004-05.”
The pair played together 158 times in all competitions, winning 106 of those matches and losing just 24.
Second on his list are Manchester United stars Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic. Carragher insisted the duo had adapted to Manchester United’s attacking teams under Sir Alex Ferguson over the years, winning five Premier League titles together between 2007 and 2013.
“What sets them apart is that they were equals, unlike one top defender charging at the other, as often happens even in the most famous defensive partnerships,” he wrote.
‘Perfect partners complement each other so we don’t think of one without the other.’
Carragher believes Ricardo Carvalho (left) and John Terry (right) are the best centre-back pairing in the Premier League
The former Liverpool defender claimed that Nemanja Vidic (left) and Rio Ferdinand (right) were the second best partnership
The 46-year-old also believed he was more successful at Liverpool when partnered with Sami Hyypia (right).
Carragher also named several other Premier League legends in his list of the greatest centre-back partnerships of all time, including former United duo Gary Pallister and Steve Bruce.
On taking a step into Europe, Carragher added that former AC Milan pair Franco Baresi and Alessandro Costacurta were another of the strongest partnerships to ever play, while he insisted that under Pep Guardiola, Carles Puyol and Gerard Pique were another formidable defensive duo.
The 46-year-old also believed that his best performance at Liverpool came when he was partnered with Sami Hyypia. The pair played a whopping 405 games together for Liverpool, winning 229 of those games and, notably, started together in the 2005 Champions League final.
Carragher’s comments come after Gabriel’s header on Sunday helped Arsenal to a 1-0 win against north London rivals Spurs at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, his 16th goal for the Gunners since joining in 2020.
Carragher (pictured) insisted Saliba and Gabriel could become one of the best defensive partnerships in the league if they can win trophies with Arsenal.
But he insisted Arsenal’s defensive partnership “brings out the best in everyone”.
Saliba is expected to join in 2022, with the pair subsequently teaming up to become Mikel Arteta’s first-choice centre-back pairing.
The duo have made 84 appearances in all competitions and have impressed with both their goalscoring ability and their staunch defence.
Carragher insisted the pair “bring out the best in each other” but also outlined in his column what he believes they need to do to be considered one of the best centre-back partnerships in the league.
“Arsenal need to win either the Premier League or Champions League for the duo to establish themselves in that hall of fame, but they are making huge strides and are the main reason Mikel Arteta’s side can travel to Manchester City with confidence this weekend,” he wrote.
