Centre-back Scrap A Good One

Former Manchester United defender Danny Higginbotham believes the centre-back conundrum facing David Moyes is a good problem for the manager to have.


Jonny Evans and Phil Jones have performed admirably in the last two fixtures with Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand out of action while Chris Smalling has also impressed of late. With five top-class players competing for the two slots, it is an area that must be giving Moyes food for thought ahead of Saturday's visit of Stoke City, another of Higginbotham's former clubs.

"It's a difficult one isn't it?" Higginbotham said to ManUtd.com. "However, it's a great problem to have.

"I was with Jonny at Sunderland and you could see, with the ability he had, that he was going to have a great opportunity at United. With Jones and Smalling as well, there is an abundance of talent in the centre while Rio and Vidic have been mainstays over the years.

"The time is going to come when the younger ones get more of an opportunity and, for me, it's just good to have so much competition. From what I've seen from all the centre-backs at this moment in time, they are all performing well, and it's a tough decision for the manager to make."

Having played with Evans at the Stadium of Light, Higginbotham is fully aware of the Northern Ireland international's talents. "He was great at Sunderland," added the Chester stopper. "He did really well. The thing with Jonny was he never looked flustered.

"He was a ball-playing centre-back, a very good defender as well, but very comfortable with the ball at his feet. From my time with him at Sunderland, what he is doing now for Manchester United is something I definitely would have predicted was going to happen. He's had some great games and I'm sure, in the long term, he will get a longer run as well.

"I got to know him quite well. He's a really nice lad and great character as well as a great player. He deserves everything he is getting at the moment."

Experienced campaigners Ferdinand and Vidic have little more to prove as they aim to regain fitness and a place in the line-up.

"They're brilliant," enthused Higginbotham. "In my opinion, Rio is one of the best centre-backs this country has ever seen. I'd put him up with anyone. Vidic is another one. He's one of the best centre-backs this club has ever seen. To have those two as options is brilliant and the likes of Evans, Smalling and Jones will be learning off them all the time. What better players to learn off than those two?"

Higginbotham believes that changing the pairing regularly should not have any negative impact on the side.

"I think you find that, when you come to a club like United, you have your partnerships but I think players at this football club are so good that any of the centre backs can play together," he stated. "They are at this club for the reason that they are great players and their mentality sets them apart. They are all comfortable playing with each other, whatever the selection, so I don't see it being a problem."