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Which team has had the best centre-back pairing in the Premier League?
Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has revealed his pick for the greatest-ever centre-back pairing in Premier League history.
While many might have expected him to choose Manchester United’s iconic duo of Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand, Carragher opted for a Chelsea pairing instead.
Carragher names Terry and Carvalho as Premier League’s best pairing
In his column for The Telegraph, Carragher hailed Chelsea’s legendary defensive partnership of John Terry and Ricardo Carvalho as the best centre-back pairing in Premier League history.
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Referencing the great Chelsea duo, Carragher wrote, "'They were the foundation of Jose Mourinho’s brilliant Chelsea side, rewriting the records and redefining what was possible at the highest level by conceding just 15 goals in a Premier League season in 2004-05."
Terry and Carvalho played 158 games together, winning 106 of those, helping Chelsea to numerous titles in their peak.
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Carragher ranked Manchester United’s Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic as the second-best pairing, equally praising their partnership and the way they complemented each other in Sir Alex Ferguson’s trophy-winning teams between 2007 and 2013.
Arsenal’s Saliba and Gabriel close to joining elite group
Carragher also turned his attention to Arsenal’s current defensive duo, William Saliba and Gabriel, who have impressed with their performances under Mikel Arteta.
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While he believes that the Gunners’ pair are not yet ready to join the Premier League’s greatest centre-back pairings, Carragher believes they are on the cusp of achieving greatness.
The former Liverpool defender pointed out that although Saliba and Gabriel have been impressive in their 84 games together in the Premier League, for the Arsenal pair to truly be considered among the best, they need to win a major title, such as the Premier League or Champions League.
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On the issue of Saliba and Gabriel, Carragher wrote, "Arsenal must win the Premier League or Champions League for the duo to establish themselves in that hall of fame, but they are making giant strides and are the biggest reason why Mikel Arteta's side can travel to Manchester City with confidence this weekend."
Mikel Arteta will be hoping that Saliba and Gabriel will be fit for the entire season as Arsenal look to mount another title charge in the Premier League.
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