According to Jamie Carragher, Man Utd's Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof outperformed Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez this season in terms of defensive play.
Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez, who have been healthy this season and have only had supporting duties for Maguire and Lindelof, are Erik ten Hag's current favorite duo.
After joining the Red Devils from Ajax in the summer for almost £47 million, Liverpool great Carragher and other experts questioned if Martinez would succeed in the Premier League.
Despite having reservations about Martinez's stature, Carragher later acknowledged that the Man Utd center-back was taller than he had thought.
The former Liverpool defender said on Sky Sports: “I think he’s been brilliant. To be that small and play at centre-back, you’ve obviously got to be a special player, a good player."
“I didn’t think someone of that size could cope in the Premier League, and he has coped. I think he’s been brilliant. I think he’s been a big part of [United’s spirit]."
“I think it was a game I saw a few weeks ago when he was actually a sub, and someone scored a late goal, and he was right involved. This was only two or three weeks ago."
“And obviously, we saw him in the World Cup, Argentinian. He’s got that fight. I think him and Casemino coming in… it feels more powerful, stronger. But I didn’t think a centre-back that size would be able to cope.”
Jamie Carragher, though, engaged in a Twitter argument with some Manchester United supporters on Monday after asserting that Virgil van Dijk is "far better" than Nemanja Vidic, a former player of the club.
Virgil van Dijk, despite his recent troubles, is "far better," according to Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher, than former Manchester United defender Nemanja Vidic.
This season, with Liverpool now in ninth place in the Premier League and out of all cup tournaments, the Netherlands international has drawn criticism. Compared to 26 goals allowed over the entire previous league season, Liverpool has already given up 35 goals this season in the Premier League.
There are various hypotheses as to why the Reds, who were two victories away from an unprecedented Quadruple last season, have deteriorated so badly this year. Numerous of their players have undoubtedly underperformed, with the defense and midfield receiving the majority of the criticism.
One social media platform claimed that Van Dijk's performances this season have significantly "dropped off" and questioned prior comparisons with "Terry, Kompany, Rio, and Vidic."
When fit this season, Van Dijk has not looked confident, but Carragher has defended the Liverpool defender and believes he is a far superior player to the legendary Vidic of Manchester United.
“VVD is far better than Vidic, who was a top CB, but have you forgot his performances against Torres?” Jamie Carragher wrote on Twitter.
Before the Liverpool legend added: “Rio & JT had poor seasons in their career like all players, VVD is having one now. No CB in the PL era has ever had VVD’s impact on a team."
“Never mind the best CB in the league, he’s been the best player in the league along with KDB for four years before this one."
“We have never spoken about about other CB’s being the best player before, that shows the level he was at.”
Man United fans who couldn't possibly agree responded angrily to that, and United Stand host Mark Goldbridge poked fun at Carragher's earlier remarks against Martinez.
Goldbridge wrote on Twitter: “I genuinely wouldn’t take much notice on @Carra23 opinion on CB’s. He told everyone Martinez would flop without watching him because he was small. Martinez currently the best CB in the league on a debut season. Sit down.”
Furthermore, Carragher added fuel to the fire by comparing Martinez and Varane this season to Maguire and Lindelof in 2019–20.
Carragher responded: “The partnership of Maguire & Lindelof in the 2019/20 season, conceded 1 less goal than Martinez & Varane have in this campaign. There are still 9 games to go this season.”
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