Jamie Carragher and Rio Ferdinand regularly interact on social media, with the Sky Sports pundit mentioning his former England team-mate on Monday Night Football
Rio Ferdinand and Jamie Carragher have a long-standing feud that flares up from time to time
Jamie Carragher once questioned whether Rio Ferdinand is the best central defender in Premier League history after Dean Ashton beat him to the title. The former England international was a guest on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football with his former club West Ham United taking on Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.
During the pre-match build-up, Sky showed off the striker’s overhead kick against Manchester United. This clip came up while I was analyzing James Justin’s goal between Leeds United and Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Ashton scored the goal at Old Trafford, positioning himself goal-side of Ferdinand. He shook off the defender’s physical attention.
“Get off me, Rio,” he said, looking back at the footage in the studio. Carragher quipped: “Did you think he was the best centre-back in the history of the Premier League?”
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The former Liverpool defender has consistently stated that Virgil van Dijk is the best central defender in Premier League history. Carragher infamously said after the game against Liverpool at Anfield last year: “He’s too qualified for the highest level of football.
“I still feel like it’s too easy for him. He plays the game so easily that you almost feel there should be another level above Van Dijk.”
Another former defender, Michael Dawson, also named Van Dijk the best player in the Premier League at the time. Carragher said: “You’ve said before that he’s the best (centre back) in the Premier League.
“He’s the best, but this nonsense about other defenders who are great defenders is not even an argument, and I’ve played with a lot of them, and he’s so much better than that, it’s a joke.
Jamie Carragher can’t stop making cheeky comments about Rio Ferdinand (Image: Chris Brunskill/Fantasista, Getty Images)
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“Football is so easy-going for him. I’ve never seen a player play so easily, not just at centre-back, but probably in any position. It’s a walk in the park for him.”
While still at BT Sport, Ferdinand placed himself first on the list of the top five centre-backs in Premier League history. During an episode of “Between the Lines” with Van Dijk he said, “I believe I’m number one, seriously.
“I’ll be number one right away. That’s what I thought and that’s how I approach everything.”
Van Dijk also placed Ferdinand in first place in the top five. He said: “You could play in modern times. You were a very important part of the Man United team back then. All the centre-backs in England generally looked up to you. You were an icon as a defender.”
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