When it comes to entertaining football, the English top league has it in abundance. It’s a competition where even defenders are ambitious to contribute regularly to the attack.
Over the years, the highly popular football league has seen some extremely talented fullbacks play. These individuals have shown that the wide defender has multiple roles and that playing them well is critical to any team’s success.
1.John Stones (Manchester City)
As it turn out, Manchester City brought an excellent defender for a very “little money”; only 50 million pounds was his transfer worth.
Under the guidance of Guardiola, John Stones improved in a way nobody else believed he could. Now, he covers 3 or 4 positions in the defence and middle.
2. Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
Liverpool’s captain is not in the same form as he was a few seasons ago, but still, he is one of the best in the league. He leads the team, helps other teammates and fights hard against his opponents as a true warrior.
3. William Saliba (Arsenal)
Saliba was one of the most doubted defenders when he joined Arsenal, and many guessed he would be a big flop.
But Saliba proved everyone wrong and became a true central defender, as all teams want, especially in the Premier League. He is unlucky because he had a bad injury, but his impact on the team is big, and when he recovers fully, he will take his place in the defensive line.
4. Ruben Dias (Manchester City)
We all know how much Guardiola wants a good defender who has excellent skill, knows how to control the ball and attacks occasionally.
Ruben Diaz is perhaps closest to Guardiola’s perfect defender. Ruben Diaz has incredible vision and anticipation of the game and is always at the right place and time.
5. Kieran Trippier (Newcastle United)
Trippier brought to Newcastle exactly what this team needed last season to move up the table.
He brought stability, experience, and wisdom to the defensive line and the whole team, especially when defending.
He has played in many big matches during his career, and now, with all that experience, he is a true leader of this team in Premier League matches and especially in the Champions League.
6. Trent Alexander Arnold (Liverpool)
The popular TAA was often criticized and disapproved, but he is doing what he does best on the pitch and silences all those rumours and critics.
He is a player who can take the ball in his half and create a goal opportunity in front of the other goal, which very few players can do. With his speed and skills, he is often a big headache for the opponent’s defenders.
7. Fabian Shar (Newcastle United)
Shar is 31 years old. Many thought that he couldn’t keep up with the strikers in the Premier League and with the tempo of the matches, but he is a really solid defender in Newcastle. He is frequently covered with blood because he enters really hard duels.
8. Lewis Dunk (Brighton and Hove Albion)
Like Shar, Lewis Dunk was considered at the end of his career. But, instead, he, as the whole team of Brighton, is playing amazingly. He was part of Brighton’s team that, for the first time in their history, will play in European competition, and now, even though he is 31 years old, many big teams are asking for him.
9. Lisandro Martinez (Manchester United)
Manchester United always had big and strong defenders like Vidic, Ferdinand, Stam, Evans… Lisandro Martinez isn’t very tall; he is not big, but he is an amazing defender.
He is a big fighter. He reads opponents’ actions and cuts the ball before everyone knows where it’s going. His brutal tackles are his trademark.
10. Kyle Walker (Manchester City)
Walker won everything he could with Manchester City, and this summer, he almost left the club. However, it’s really hard to find a replacement for someone like Walker and Guardiola knows it, so Walker got a new contract.
He is one of the fastest, if not the fastest, defenders in the league. He is focused on the game and covers in the defense, but also he is very dangerous in the attack.
