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Soham Mukherjee

VIDEO: Virgil van Dijk or William Saliba?! Man Utd legend Rio Ferdinand ranks Premier League's best centre-backs as he talks up Leny Yoro's huge potential

Manchester United great Rio Ferdinand has put his cards on the table, ranking the Premier League’s top defenders in a no-nonsense knockout showdown, and his verdicts will spark plenty of debate. In a high-energy Q&A with GOAL, the former England skipper was asked to play “winner stays on” with some of the league’s biggest centre-back names.

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    Ferdinand plays winner-stays-on game

    Right from the start, Ferdinand showed where his loyalties lie, immediately backing teenage sensation Lenny Yoro over Jarrad Branthwaite. From there, the United starlet held his ground against the likes of Marc Guehi and Levi Colwill. Ferdinand raved about the Frenchman’s potential, insisting Yoro has “the highest ceiling” of the bunch.

    Despite the glowing praise, Yoro’s run came to an end when Josko Gvardiol was put in the mix. Ferdinand admitted the Croatian is further along right now, though he still believes Yoro could one day eclipse him. 

    He said: "I think Leny Yoro has got a higher ceiling long term, but I think I'm going to go Gvardiol right now."

    Once in play, the Manchester City man proved tough to dislodge. He beat out Nikola Milenkovic, Newcastle’s Sven Botman, Cristian Romero of Spurs, and even United’s own Lisandro Martinez.

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  • Van Dijk still stands tallest

    Eventually, Arsenal’s Gabriel was the one who brought Gvardiol’s streak to a halt. Ferdinand praised the Brazilian’s commanding presence and his strong recent form. When Gabriel was then stacked up against Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konate, the Arsenal defender still got the nod.

    But when the conversation moved to Gabriel’s defensive partner, William Saliba, Ferdinand’s admiration was clear. “I prefer the type of player Saliba is,” he explained. “But I think they're both, they're the best partnership for me."

    However, when Saliba was pitted against Virgil van Dijk, Ferdinand’s verdict was decisive. The Liverpool skipper came out on top without hesitation. “Van Dijk’s the best,” the United legend declared.

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    Winner stays on: Premier League defenders with Rio Ferdinand 👀 @Topps #football #premierleague #manchesterunited #england #soccer

    ♬ original sound - GOAL
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    Van Dijk proving it on the pitch

    The Dutch colossus has certainly been backing up that praise with performances. Just last week, Van Dijk sent Anfield into ecstasy with a dramatic last-minute winner against Atletico Madrid in a Champions League classic as Liverpool edged the Spaniards 3-2 in a pulsating tie that reminded everyone of Van Dijk’s big-game presence. Manager Arne Slot gave his captain a breather in midweek, resting him for the 2-1 EFL Cup win over Southampton. But there’s no doubt the Dutchman will be back in the thick of it when the Reds travel to Selhurst Park this Saturday to face Crystal Palace.