The Nemanja Vidic vs Virgil van Dijk debate continues to rage but one former Premier League forward believes the Manchester United legend has more in common with another – and far less heralded – Liverpool defender.
Now, when discussing those strikers Nemanja Vidic occasionally struggled against, the first that usually comes to mind is Fernando Torres, even if a record of three goals in 15 games versus the Serbian colossus means that often-repeated claim does not really stand up to scrutiny.
But Gary Taylor-Fletcher, to give the former Blackpool favourite his due, certainly ensured that the Manchester United icon would not have even a moment’s piece during two thrilling encounters during the 2010/11 season.
Taylor-Fletcher even scored at Old Trafford as Ian Holloway’s valiant neutral’s favourites were relegated in heart-wrenching fashion on the final day.
But you’ll struggle to find many United supporters agreeing with Taylor-Fletcher’s assessment that Vidic does even not belong on the same plane as Virgil van Dijk, adding that another former Liverpool centre-half provides a more fitting comparison.
Is Nemanja Vidic the Premier League’s best-ever defender?
“I tore him apart twice for Blackpool in (the) 2010/11 season,” Taylor-Fletcher writes on X, Blackpool scoring four times in those two matches against Vidic and co.
“He was nowhere near levels of (Rio) Ferdinand, (John) Terry and VVD (Van Dijk). He was the same level as (Martin) Skrtel.
“Solid, good player. Not elite.”
Now, when you consider that Taylor-Fletcher previously outed himself as a ‘massive Liverpool fan’, his dismissing of a five-time Premier League winner perhaps makes a little bit more sense. Lest we forget that Vidic’s heyday came at a time in which so many iconic centre-forwards were plying their trade in English football.
One wonders how Van Dijk would fare up against a peak-era Didier Drogba, Robin van Persie and Fernando Torres.
Vidic vs Virgil van Dijk
The 2019/20 season – Van Dijk’s first and so far only Premier League triumph in Liverpool colours – was not a campaign chock-full of elite number nines after all, with Danny Ings, finishing third in a Golden Boot race featuring more wide players than centre-forwards.
“My best teammate, who I had the best relationship on the pitch with, was Nemanja Vidic,” the equally-iconic Ferdinand said recently on the BBC podcast ‘Seven.’
“He was my defensive partner. Me and him played centre-back together and we (played) perfectly well. Our styles blended.
“Mine and his relationship was something unique. We felt for probably four of five, maybe six, years that you could feel certain strikers wouldn’t want to play up against us. They knew it was going to be a tough day.
“That was a real kind of relationship that will last forever.”