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Vidic would not take the Dutch centre back over any of United's current options.

'I wouldn't take Van Dijk over any of Man United's centre-backs,' says Vidic

The former Red Devils defender is delighted with the players in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s back line.

NEMANJA VIDIC INSISTED he would not swap any of Manchester United’s defenders for Virgil van Dijk or his Liverpool team-mates, while praising Victor Lindelof for displaying “character” to turn around his form.

United led the Premier League with 19 clean sheets in 2017-18 yet their goal has been breached in all but six of their 26 games to date this term.

Despite that, Sweden international Lindelof has received plaudits as one of United’s better performers, the 24-year-old establishing himself at the heart of the club’s defence after a difficult first season at Old Trafford.

Vidic, who spent eight years at United between 2006 and 2014, also took some time to find his feet in England before forming a formidable partnership with Rio Ferdinand.

The Serbian has been impressed by how Lindelof has responded to his own early struggles and feels United’s current centre-back options are as strong as their Premier League rivals’ defenders.

Soccer - Barclays Premier League - Manchester United v Liverpool - Old Trafford Vidic shared many memorable battles with Liverpool during his time at Old Trafford. EMPICS Sport EMPICS Sport

“I think [Lindelof] had a difficult time in the beginning,” Vidic said “Well done to him to come back. It’s not easy, especially playing for Man United, big club, to not start that well and have criticism from the media.

“To come back from that and now perform well, it shows some character as well, which is important if you want to play for Man United.

“He has some quality definitely. He has done really well. I think Phil Jones did well in the recent games he played, Chris Smalling is a good defender, [Eric] Bailly as well.

I think we have four solid defenders and with the right match I think they can perform to the best of their capabilities.

“Overall, I said even before when they didn’t have great games, if you look at the other teams, I would not have any defenders of Liverpool or Chelsea, I don’t think they have better defenders than we have.

“I think now the team is playing better, they have more confidence and there will come even better matches from them.”

Liverpool are the side with the most clean sheets in the Premier League this term, their 14 two more than title rivals Manchester City’s 12.

Brighton & Hove Albion v Manchester United - Premier League - AMEX Stadium Vidic has been impressed by Victor Lindelöf this season. EMPICS Sport EMPICS Sport

The presence of Virgil van Dijk at the heart of their defence is a big reason for that and though Vidic has been impressed by the £75 million man, he noted praise is easier to come by for defenders when the whole team is performing well.

I think he’s doing a great job – he’s strong physically, he’s fast, he’s a presence on the pitch,” Vidic added of Van Dijk.

“He’s a great defender, top defender, but I’m saying when teams are doing well, everyone gets recognition.

“I know that because I played for Man United and when you’re doing well, when you’re scoring goals, [getting] a few clean sheets, straight away people start talking about how good you are.” 

Murray Kinsella, Andy Dunne and Gavan Casey look ahead to Ireland’s Six Nations meeting with Italy and discuss the week’s biggest stories in the latest episode of The42 Rugby Weekly.


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    Mute Colo J
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    Feb 22nd 2019, 7:51 PM

    Stop lying to yourself.

    212
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    Mute samstheman
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    Feb 22nd 2019, 8:01 PM

    How long is he out the game? A serious player in his day, but he’s spoofing with that statement

    142
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    Mute Now or Never
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    Feb 22nd 2019, 7:53 PM

    Ah Vidic c’mon lol, I’d drive Jones and Smalling to China to get Van Djik, quality defender ffs!

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    Mute Peter Roche
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    Feb 22nd 2019, 8:19 PM

    I’ve heard of concussion in rugby but they may check soccer players now. The number of times Torres had him falling on his behind must have damaged his brains

    118
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    Mute CrabaRev
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    Feb 22nd 2019, 8:45 PM

    @Peter Roche:
    Apparently he once lost his balance because of the weight of his 5 Premier League medals, his 3 League Cup medals, his Champions’ League medal, his Club World Cup medal and his 2 Premier League Player of the Season awards.

    113
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    Mute Willy Motley
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    Feb 22nd 2019, 9:11 PM

    @CrabaRev: club world cup medal , come on ffs!

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    Mute Brendan
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    Feb 22nd 2019, 9:23 PM

    @CrabaRev: wonderful, doesn’t mean he’s not talking rubbish. Any right minded, knowledgable football fan would swap every single centre half Utd currently have for VVD.

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    Mute CrabaRev
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    Feb 22nd 2019, 9:28 PM

    @Willy Motley: The pinnacle of club football.

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    Mute CrabaRev
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    Feb 22nd 2019, 9:30 PM

    @Brendan:
    Probably not, as that would leave them a little short on centre halves.

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    Mute Marc Richardson
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    Feb 22nd 2019, 11:03 PM

    @CrabaRev: he wears all that whilst doing interviews?is he insecure that he needs to bring up such things to take away from his silly statement?

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    Mute Peter Roche
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    Feb 22nd 2019, 11:08 PM

    @CrabaRev: ya! And Djimi Traore has a Champions League medal

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    Mute Mick O'Donoghue
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    Feb 22nd 2019, 11:27 PM

    @CrabaRev:

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    Mute Mick O'Donoghue
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    Feb 22nd 2019, 11:28 PM

    @CrabaRev: in other great news for United fans, I hear ESPN classic is coming back.

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    Mute Now or Never
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    Feb 22nd 2019, 11:49 PM

    @Mick O’Donoghue: superb, you might catch Liverpool last league title win on it also.

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    Mute Chris Tobin
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    Feb 23rd 2019, 6:55 AM

    @CrabaRev: excellent point #honunited

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    Mute David O'Neill
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    Feb 22nd 2019, 8:02 PM

    What’s Vidic Smoking ?? I want some

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    Mute st
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    Feb 22nd 2019, 7:58 PM

    Go home your drunk.

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    Mute Karl Cranny
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    Feb 22nd 2019, 8:55 PM

    Loved the days when Torres used to make him look like a Buffon!

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    Mute Karl Cranny
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    Feb 22nd 2019, 8:59 PM

    @Karl Cranny: Buffoon, sorry.

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    Mute CrabaRev
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    Feb 22nd 2019, 8:23 PM

    Lindelof will be as good a defender as you will see, in a year or two.

    I think you would have to take Van Dijk over Smalling or Bailly. That being said, Smalling does have 2 premier league titles, an FA cup, a League cup and a Europa League more than Van Dijk

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    Mute samstheman
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    Feb 22nd 2019, 8:25 PM

    @CrabaRev: now you’re messing Crab

    44
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    Mute CrabaRev
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    Feb 22nd 2019, 8:37 PM

    @samstheman:
    I’ve always had an eye for a good player.

    Are there any players at all in Liverpool with a Premier league medal (not won with a Manchester club)? Did Sturridge win one at Chelsea?

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    Mute Ollie Watson
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    Feb 22nd 2019, 8:51 PM

    @CrabaRev: mo

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    Mute samstheman
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    Feb 22nd 2019, 8:51 PM

    @CrabaRev: Milner obviously but to suit yourself you excluded his 2. If you honestly think VVD doesn’t walk into any team with the form he’s in, I give up all hope on you

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    Mute CrabaRev
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    Feb 22nd 2019, 9:04 PM

    @samstheman:
    I specified, “not won with a Manchester club”. It turns out Sturridge did win a Premier League with Chelsea. So they have one.

    I never said for one second that Van Dijk wouldn’t walk into any Premier League team, or European team for that matter, on his current form. I just intimated that Smalling is not a bad centre half and he has 2 Premier League medals to prove it. You Liverpool fans are very sensitive.

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    Mute samstheman
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    Feb 22nd 2019, 9:11 PM

    @CrabaRev: haha like I said ask a question to suit the answer you’re looking for. You united fans are sound

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    Mute Willy Motley
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    Feb 22nd 2019, 9:13 PM

    @CrabaRev: I specified “don’t mention anything that takes away from my moot points” Foolishness

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    Mute CrabaRev
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    Feb 22nd 2019, 9:21 PM

    @Ollie Watson: Mo. No.

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    Mute CrabaRev
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    Feb 22nd 2019, 9:25 PM

    @samstheman: Not a United Fan, I just like winding up Liverpool supporters. It is a bit too easy though.

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    Mute Seaniecp
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    Feb 22nd 2019, 9:31 PM

    @Willy Motley: Ya what a stupid thing to say. How many has emailing won not with a Manchester club. Plus crab medals doesn’t say your a great player just that you have been part of great teams. I always bring this back to djimi traore and his champions league medal. You could name a 1000 better players not to have one of them. It’s a stupid example when comparing players. Sure salah has one with Chelsea despite only playing 30 mins for them that season before he was loaned to Fiorentina

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    Mute samstheman
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    Feb 22nd 2019, 10:00 PM

    @Seaniecp: is Crab actually Alex?

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    Mute samstheman
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    Feb 22nd 2019, 10:00 PM

    @CrabaRev: Mo actually does have a medal

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    Mute Paddy Lawlor
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    Feb 22nd 2019, 8:51 PM

    Go easy on the pain killers, Van Dijk worth more than the United defence put together

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    Mute Anthony
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    Feb 22nd 2019, 10:04 PM

    As a united fan I’m afraid I have to say I think he’s away with the fairies here

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    Mute Martin McKenna
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    Feb 22nd 2019, 9:24 PM

    Smalling came from non league obviously not good enough at that level.
    Smalling, Young, Jones, not goid enough for utd.
    The rest of the defenders average at best.
    Matic great player but legs gone, Mata substitute player,Herrera honest but average too, clearly short to be european top level but. Work in progress. Never should have given contracts to the poor defenders.

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    Mute Ruairi Doyle
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    Feb 22nd 2019, 10:01 PM

    @Martin McKenna: must’ve missed the part where Mata became a Centre back

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    Mute Willy Motley
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    Feb 22nd 2019, 9:09 PM

    A few to many bangs to the head I think

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    Mute Caoimhín Ó Treasaigh
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    Feb 22nd 2019, 11:17 PM

    Everyone commenting that he’s concussed or high should read the actual quote and not the headline. This hardly qualifies as news anyway. Vidic was back at Carrington this week meeting the United team. He’s not likely to come out and criticise his former team ahead of a big clash with bitter rivals. He spoke very positively of VVD and the United defence.

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    Mute Martin Brennan
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    Feb 22nd 2019, 10:42 PM

    Well he’s been on The smelling salts

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    Mute Desmond Cassidy
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    Feb 23rd 2019, 12:05 AM

    Really…what’s the point of this article…

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    Mute irishred
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    Feb 22nd 2019, 7:54 PM

    Lol matic is either stupid or trolling

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    Mute Eoghan P O'Leary
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    Feb 22nd 2019, 7:56 PM

    @irishred: Vidic?

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    Mute stephen darling
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    Feb 23rd 2019, 11:30 AM

    What’s this wa**er been smoking. He still has nightmares over Torres

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