Nemanja Vidic names the four best Premier League strikers he came up against, Fernando Torres not included

Nemanja Vidic has named the four best Premier League strikers he came up against in his career - but surprisingly Fernando Torres was not one of them.

The Spaniard famously terrorised Vidic in various meetings between Liverpool and Manchester United, but he failed to mention him when discussing those who gave him most difficulty.

Instead, Vidic namechecked Didier Drogba, Sergio Aguero and Luis Suarez but also included 6ft7 striker Peter Crouch as dealing with a player like him was a venture into the unknown for the former Man United captain.

"My first experience was Peter Crouch. I'd never seen a two-metres tall player before", Vidic told Andy Mitten from The Athletic.

"He played for Liverpool and we played them in a cup game at Anfield. I was thinking 'Wow, what can I do today with this guy?'

"Then I saw Bellamy next to him, not a great player on the ball but very, very fast. He would run into space, Crouch would jump into the air. I'd never seen football played like this.

"I'd never had a No 9 and a sharp, fast, player next to him. I knew how to deal with them individually but not both of them at the same time. I played alongside Wes Brown, it was a tough game, a long game. We lost 1-0."

Image: Alamy

On Drogba, who was sent off in the 2008 Champions League final for slapping Vidic, the former Inter Milan centre-back described the Chelsea legend as "very clever player who would get into the brain of the defenders".

Vidic crossed paths with Aguero in his final years at United and stated that the Argentine was responsible for his worst ever game for the club.

In a 4-1 Manchester derby thrashing at the Etihad in 2013, Aguero and Alvaro Negredo gave he and Rio Ferdinand a nightmare.

"I played against Aguero when they beat us 4-1 in the Moyes season," Vidic said.

"He (Aguero) looks like he's not interested in football on the pitch.

"He doesn't look like a guy who will run 10 metres and then - bang - he makes the sprint. I'm convinced that Aguero was born as a defender. He knows where the ball will come and where he can attack.

"That was my worst game for United. I know I'm supposed to choose those two final defeats to and they were horrible to lose. That one in Rome and Wembley was even tougher."

Image: Alamy

Suarez drew similar praise from Vidic, who found that the Uruguayan never ran out of energy during games.

"Everything is done in bursts," he stated.

"I don't think he knows exactly what he's doing but he succeeds. He's very direct and hungry to score. He runs for 90 minutes, he has a fire in him."

Vidic played 300 times for United, winning five Premier League titles and one Champions League.

He was voted the best centre-back in Premier League history, beating Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk.

Topics: Nemanja Vidic, Manchester United, Premier League, Fernando Torres

Josh Lawless

Josh is a sports journalist who specialises in football and wrestling. He has been published by Curzon Ashton FC, Late Tackle, Manchester City FC, The Mirror, Read Man City and Manchester Evening News. He provides coverage of professional wrestling and has interviewed some of the biggest names in the field - including the first UK interview with The Hardy Boyz after their return to WWE. He has never sported a pair of Lonsdale Slip-ons, contrary to reports.

@joshlawless_