Nemanja Vidic snubs Virgil van Dijk in his list of best Premier League defenders

Showing his loyalty to his former club

Vidic is the latest defender to be quizzed on the best defenders to have played in the top flight of English football, with a plethora of names to select from.

The Serbian won five Premier League titles during his time at Manchester United, forming a formidable partnership with Rio Ferdinand in that time.

But when asked about who is the best in the business right now, Vidic had a surprise exclusion.

Vidic has no room for Van Dijk

Instead, the former centre back heaped praised on Arsenal' centre back duo and one member of the Spurs side.

"I like talking about the young ones. Micky van de Ven," he revealed.

"He's fast, strong and good in the air, and has capabilities to really improve.

"The two from Arsenal [William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes] are doing well. Watching them, I feel they like defending and want the clean sheet. 

"I like the mentality they show. And they are a partnership. That is important. Arsenal, this season, have not been conceding many goals and the situation when they went to City and didn't concede — that was a statement of Arsenal as a team."

Unsurprisingly there was no mention of United defenders.

Defeat against Arsenal meant the club set an unwanted record after conceding their 82nd goal of the season -the most they have done in a single campaign since 1971.

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