Paul Ince claimed Premier League legend was harder than Roy Keane, Steven Gerrard and Patrick Vieira

Former Manchester United and Liverpool midfielder Paul Ince has named the 'tough' player he believes was harder than legends Roy Keane, Steven Gerrard and Patrick Vieira.

Ince came through the youth team ranks at West Ham United before moving to Old Trafford in 1989 for £1m.

The central midfielder went on to win two Premier League titles and a pair of FA Cups at United before switching to Inter Milan in 1995 for £7.5m.

A return to England followed in 1997 to join Liverpool, before spells at Middlesbrough, Wolves, Swindon Town and Macclesfield Town, where he retired from playing in 2007 - subsequently embarking upon a coaching career.

Ince began his management days at the Silkmen and has gone on to have two spells in charge of MK Dons, as well as stints at Blackburn Rovers, Notts County and Blackpool.

His last management job was at Reading, which came to an end in mid-April 2023.

Throughout his playing career, Ince came up against some legendary fellow midfielders.

Ince was of course a teammate of Keane's at Old Trafford and also a young Gerrard as he was coming through the youth team ranks at Anfield.

The midfielder also took on Arsenal legend Vieira, who joined the Gunners in 1996 from AC Milan.

Paul Ince takes on Marcel Desailly. (Image: Getty)

But rather than selecting one of those remarkable three as his toughest opponent, Ince chose Chelsea's Marcel Desailly as the one he felt was the hardest.

The French 1998 World Cup winner joined the Stamford Bridge club in 1998 from AC Milan and Ince had faced him before when the duo were both playing in Serie A.

Speaking to talkSPORT about who the hardest opponent he had faced was, Ince said: "I've had a few. Keaney, Steven Gerrard, Vieira but I'd probably say Desailly. He was tough.

"When he was at AC Milan. Before the Milan derby we had to do a big photoshoot, me and Desailly with our mouths open roaring for a big billboard in Milan.

"We had to go to this warehouse but he refused to go because he was at AC and I was at Inter. I don't know whether he didn't like me or something but we didn't go.

"Quarter to eight kick-off, first tackle - I absolutely melted him. Melted him. I put him on his a*** and shout, 'get up, get up!' He then looked at me.

"About ten minutes later he just cracked me. I thought, 'wow'. I thought I'd been hit by a juggernaut.

"It was the toughest game I've had. We were always going into each other, head-to-head. It was tough, tough man."