{"id":1165953,"date":"2020-10-16T15:14:32","date_gmt":"2020-10-16T14:14:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/?p=1165953"},"modified":"2022-12-05T16:13:27","modified_gmt":"2022-12-05T16:13:27","slug":"best-full-backs-premier-league","status":"publish","type":"features","link":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/best-full-backs-premier-league\/","title":{"rendered":"Ranking the Premier League’s best full-back pairings"},"content":{"rendered":"

Full-back is fast becoming one of the most important, dynamic positions in modern football.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

In fact the role is important that it’s not enough to have just one good full-back, you need two to form a partnership. Two to ensure that you can attack from both flanks, that you remain unpredictable and dangerous.<\/p>\n

Whilst this may seem to be a decidedly modern trend, with the exception of Chelsea in 2012, every Champions League winner in the last 10 years has had truly spectacular players at full-back. This has been a decade in the making and is now the new normal.<\/p>\n

So looking at the Premier League and all its incredible full-back pairings, we decided to group them all into a tier list. These pairings will be taken as they currently are, or will be soon enough. Disagree with any of our picks? Let us know on Twitter<\/a> or Facebook<\/a>!<\/p>\n

C Tier<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Kyle Walker and Benjamin Mendy<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Manchester City<\/strong>
\n2019\/20 combined appearances:<\/strong> 48
\n2019\/20 crosses attempted:<\/strong> 140<\/p>\n

It’s hard to include City’s best full-back pair as it’s not really clear what it is given the amount of rotation Pep Guardiola enacts. However when fit it’s clear he’d like to use Walker and Mendy, the problem with this duo is that Walker is not spectacularly creative and whilst Mendy very much is, he’s also rarely if ever fit and that has to drag City down this list. If Wolves hadn’t been hit by injury to Jonny, their starting duo of Semedo and and the Spaniard would have bumped City from this list entirely!<\/p>\n

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William Hill\u2019s 2020\/21\u00a0<\/span>Premier League top-four odds<\/a>:<\/strong><\/h2>\n
    \n
  • Liverpool: 1\/14<\/li>\n
  • Man City: 1\/12<\/li>\n
  • Chelsea: 1\/2<\/li>\n
  • Spurs: 13\/8<\/li>\n
  • Arsenal: 7\/4<\/li>\n
  • Man Utd: 2\/1<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    *You have to be 18+ to gamble. All odds and offers within this article are accurate at the time of writing (11:00, 15\/10\/2020).\u00a0<\/span>GambleAware<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

    \n

    Luke Ayling and Stuart Dallas<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    Leeds United<\/strong>
    \n2019\/20 combined appearances:<\/strong> 82
    \n2019\/20 crosses attempted:<\/strong> 227<\/p>\n

    Leeds have hit the Premier League with a sublime full-back pairing that play such a key role in the way that they operate. Marcelo Bielsa demands a lot from his full-backs in terms of build-up and final delivery, and these two deliver in spades. As a duo they’ve made a whopping 35 tackles already this season, more than anyone else, as they take full part in Leeds’ ferocious pressing game. If they do as well this season as they did last, expect to see them rise a tier in the future.<\/p>\n

    Timothy Castagne and James Justin<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    Leicester City<\/strong>
    \n2019\/20 combined appearances:<\/strong> 40
    \n2019\/20 crosses attempted:<\/strong> 97<\/p>\n

    Possibly the best partnership in our C tier is Leicester’s burgeoning one between recent import Castagne and young prospect Justin. Despite both being right-backs, they can both actually play at left-back too and that’s going to come in handy when Ricardo Pereira fully recovers from injury and Leicester should find themselves able to deploy a number of different dynamic duos at full-back as they make yet another assault on the Premier League’s top four.<\/p>\n

    George Baldock and Enda Stevens<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    \"George<\/p>\n

    Sheffield United<\/strong>
    \n2019\/20 combined appearances:<\/strong> 76
    \n2019\/20 crosses attempted:<\/strong> 251<\/p>\n

    Coming up into the Premier League can be daunting for some sides but Baldock and Stevens took it in their stride and were absolutely sensational as Sheffield United shocked the Premier League. Their positional play and high crossing output are key to Chris Wilder and Alan Knill’s system working and so far they’ve not let the two tactical masterminds down.<\/p>\n

    B Tier<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    Matt Doherty and Sergio Reguilon<\/h2>\n

    Spurs<\/strong>
    \n2019\/20 combined appearances:<\/strong> 67
    \n2019\/20 crosses attempted:<\/strong> 182<\/p>\n

    We haven’t seen this duo yet but it has the explosive potential to reach A tier. Doherty is built like Maicon and has that same power to his game, whilst Reguilon has pace to burn, an explosive attacking mentality and a love of crosses. We’ve seen hints of how sharp Spurs can be on the break already this season with Aurier and Reguilon, and once they get Doherty up to speed you can expect great things from Spurs’ boys in the years to come as they add thrust and drive from out wide.<\/p>\n

    Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Alex Telles<\/strong><\/h2>\n
    \n

    Alex Telles has been directly involved in more league goals than any other current Premier League full-back since the start of last season.<\/p>\n

    \u26bd\ufe0f 13 goals
    ?\ufe0f 10 assists<\/p>\n

    But will he still be taking penalties at Man Utd? ? pic.twitter.com\/xEWfCgiaH4<\/a><\/p>\n

    — William Hill (@WilliamHill) October 16, 2020<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n