Who has been the best centre-back partnership in the 2023/24 Premier League season?
Having a solid centre-back partnership is the bedrock of any successful Premier League side. Over the years we’ve been spoiled with exceptional duos like Ferdinand and Vidic, Terry and Carvalho and, who could forget the most legendary of them all, Senderos and Djourou.
But who holds the title of best centre-back partnership currently playing in the Premier League? Here you can see the Top 10 courtesy of WhoScored.
10. Pinnock & Collins – Brentford – 6.78
This season the Brentford duo have started 19 games together and might count themselves slightly fortunate to be ranked so highly on this list.
Brentford currently sit 16th in the Premier League table after conceding 48 goals, which suggests some of their defending hasn’t been of the highest order.
However, of the Bees 7 wins this season, Pinnock and Collins have been on the pitch for 6 of them and Thomas Frank’s side would likely be a lot worse off without the pair.
9. Dunk & Van Hecke – Brighton – 6.82
It’s been an up-and-down campaign for Roberto De Zerbi’s Brighton, but one of their biggest positives has been the emergence of a new centre-back partnership in, old-timer, Lewis Dunk and, breakthrough star, Jan Paul van Hecke.
This season the duo have played in 16 out of 26 Premier League games side-by-side and have been on the pitch together for 7 out of 10 of Brighton’s wins this campaign, clearly showcasing their importance to the Seagulls.
🌟Jan Paul Van Hecke, Lewis Dunk, Pascal Groß and Simon Adingra all feature in the @WhoScored Premier League team of the week. #BHAFC pic.twitter.com/cwU9Fr3Wud
— Owen (@owen_bhafc) February 20, 2024
8. Dawson & Kilman – Wolves – 6.83
Craig Dawson and Max Kilman have played in all but 2 Premier League games together this campaign, as Gary O’Neill’s resurgent Wolves side looks on course for a top-half finish.
The duo’s continuity in the team has contributed to a much more attacking style of play for the Midlands club and 10 out of 11 of their wins have come while the English pair have been on the pitch.
7. Boly & Murillo – Nottingham Forest – 6.86
Despite only appearing 10 times together in the Premier League this season, Nottingham Forest duo Willy Boly and Murillo appear so high in this list because of the latter’s fine form.
Having signed from Corinthians for €12m in the summer, question marks were raised over the Brazilian’s ability to adapt to life in the Premier League.
However, the 21-year-old has been one of Forest’s standout performers this campaign and should be largely credited with the fact they are still in with a shout of avoiding relegation.
🚨🇧🇷 JUST IN: Atlético Madrid are interested in Nottingham Forest center-back Murillo (21).
[🎖️: @sergiofernan5ez, @relevo] pic.twitter.com/gcvcyjuzgL— Atletico Universe (@atletiuniverse) February 28, 2024
6. Dias & Ake – Manchester City – 6.88
Due to the fluidity of Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City squad, it is a difficult task settling on their most-used centre-back partnership.
This season, however, Ruben Dias and Nathan Ake have started 10 games alongside each other in the centre of defence and have been imperious.
Of those 11 games as a pair, Pep Guardiola’s side have won 9 of them. City now enter the backend of the season unbeaten in their last 11 Premier League games and Dias and Ake will be crucial if they go on to win the title.
5. Maguire & Varane – Manchester United – 6.89
Harry Maguire and Raphael Varane – two men who have been heavily criticised by large cohorts of football fans this season but have both battled to change public perception.
Harry Maguire’s time at Manchester United looked to be coming to an end in the summer after he was heavily linked with West Ham, but with the Euros coming up, Maguire has been one of United’s standout performers this campaign.
Varane, on the other hand, has been blasted for his injury record but has provided a calming influence when he has played this season.
It may not have been the best season for Manchester United, but the Red Devils still boast the 6th best defensive record in the Premier League and this is in no small part due to the aforementioned centre-back duo.
4. Romero & Van de Ven – Tottenham Hotspur – 6.92
One of the Premier League’s best centre-backs from last season, Cristian Romero, and one of the standout centre-backs from this campaign, Micky van de Ven, take 4th spot in this list.
Everyone knows what the Argentinian can do, but it’s his Spurs partner who has impressed the most.
Having signed as somewhat of an unknown quantity in the summer, Van de Ven became the Premier League’s fastest player after clocking an astonishing 37.38 km/h against Brentford on 31 January.
The duo have played 16 out of 25 games together in the Premier League this campaign, conceding just 22 goals while the pair have been on the pitch.
3. Gabriel & Saliba – Arsenal – 6.93
Perhaps unlucky not to be higher in this is Arsenal duo Gabriel Maghalaes and William Saliba.
Since being dropped for the first 3 games of the campaign in favour of a more experimental back four, which included Thomas Partey at full-back, Gabriel has been an everpresent for Mikel Arteta’s side alongside William Saliba.
All in all the pair have started 22 Premier League games as a duo this season, conceding the fewest goals in the league as the Gunners go in search of their first Premier League winners medal for 2 decades.
Not only have the pair been imperious at the back, but they have also become the most potent goalscoring centre-back partnership in the league, having contributed 6 goals between them.
2. Tarkowski & Branthwaite – Everton – 7.03
It wouldn’t be a Sean Dyche team without a formidable centre-back partnership. This season it’s, Dyche’s favourite son, James Tarkowski and, breakout star, Jarrad Branthwaite.
Having struggled to find a permanent partner for James Tarkowski since the Everton captain joined the club from Burnley in 2022, the Toffees promoted from within after coming across a gem in Branthwaite.
While Tarkowski has started every Premier League fixture this season, Branthwaite had to bide his time on the bench for the first 2 games.
However, after 2 losses from 2, the 21-year-old was given his chance and hasn’t looked back, playing all but 1 of Everton’s games since.
This season the pair have played 23 games alongside each other and boast the 5th best defensive record in the league, despite sitting 15th in the Premier League table.
1. Van Dijk & Konate – Liverpool – 7.19
Absolutely no surprises about who takes top spot in this list.
Virgil van Dijk has been the best centre-back in the Premier League since he joined Liverpool from Southampton in 2018, while Ibrahima Konate has been a worthy companion for the Liverpool captain.
This season the duo have played 17 games alongside each other as Konate has usurped his successor, Joel Matip, to become Van Dijk’s rightful partner.
As a result of the pair’s colossal performances this season, the Merseyside club boast the second-best defensive record in the Premier League, as they plan to go all the way in Jurgen Klopp’s farewell season.
The highest rated centre-back duos in the Premier League this season. 👀 https://t.co/gbn8TW1OBc pic.twitter.com/MP5yu5kXwb
— WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) February 28, 2024
Add Sportslens to your Google News Feed!
