Jamie Carragher hailed William Saliba and Gabriel's partnership at Arsenal and tipped them to emulate legendary Premier League centre-back pairings.
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Saliba & Gabriel have been sensational in defenceHave kept four clean sheets out of five Carragher billed them for greatnessWHAT HAPPENED?
The defensive duo of Saliba and Gabriel have hardly put a foot wrong in the early stages of the new campaign, conceding only once in five matches across all competitions. They have formed the core of a defensive unit that includes Ben White and Jurrien Timber as full-backs, with David Raya giving further security between the sticks.
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In a recent column for , Carragher compared Saliba and Gabriel to some of the most iconic centre-back pairings and claimed that if the duo can maintain their current trajectory, they will one day be mentioned in the same breath as Chelsea’s John Terry and Ricardo Carvalho, as well as Manchester United’s Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic.
“Provided they stay together, we will eventually reference Saliba and Gabriel in the same breath as the two stand-out partnerships of my generation; Chelsea ’s John Terry and Ricardo Carvalho, and Manchester United ’s Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic,” 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.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE
If Terry and Carvalho set the defensive benchmark by conceding just 15 goals during their Premier League-winning 2004/05 season, Ferdinand and Vidic formed the backbone of United's defence in multiple title-winning teams under Sir Alex Ferguson. Carragher believes that they were not only great defenders in their own capacity but "complemented" each other in a pairing which formed the foundation for their success.
"I rank Terry and Carvalho as the Premier League’s No 1," Carragher opined. "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.
"Ferdinand and Vidic closely follow as the ideal duo in a more attacking Manchester United team – the stand-out of the many great defences Sir Alex Ferguson constructed during his reign. What set them apart is they were equals, as opposed to one superior defender carrying the other which is often the case, even in the most celebrated defensive collaborations. Perfect partners complement each other so we do not think of one without the other."
DID YOU KNOW?
However, Carragher warned that Saliba and Gabriel must remain consistent to be counted among the greats.
“The great pairings do not shine for one or even two incredible seasons," he said. "After Vidic joined Ferdinand at Old Trafford, United won five Premier League titles and the Champions League. Terry and Carvalho were champions three out of their six years together. Saliba and Gabriel have made an impressive start. They need no reminding of what is demanded of them to make the early comparison with the greats of the game stick rather than sound ridiculously premature.”
