Jamie Carragher reignites Rio Ferdinand feud with brutal 'best ever' Premier League quip

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Jamie Carragher questioned whether Rio Ferdinand is the best Premier League central defender ever after Dean Ashton once got the better of him. The one-time England international is a guest on Sky Sports for Monday Night Football with his former club, West Ham United, facing Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.

During the pre-match build-up, Sky showed the striker's overhead kick against Manchester United . The clip came up during their analysis of James Justin's goal for Leeds United against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Ashton scored that goal at Old Trafford after positioning himself goalside of Ferdinand. He shrugged off the defender's physical attention.

"Get off, Rio," he said in the studio while watching back the footage. In response, Carragher quipped: "I thought he was the best centre-back in the Premier League ever?"

The former Liverpool defender has consistently said that Virgil van Dijk is the best central defender in Premier League history. Carragher infamously said last year after a Liverpool match at Anfield: "He's too good for the highest level of football.

"It's almost like it's still too easy for him; it almost feels like there should be another level above that for Van Dijk because he plays the game with such ease."

Another former defender, Michael Dawson, also crowned Van Dijk as the Premier League's best at the time. Carragher added in response: "You said before that he's the best [centre-back] in the Premier League.

"He is the best, but it's not even a debate, this nonsense about all the other defenders who are great defenders, and I've played with a lot of them, he's so far above it, it's a joke.

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"Football is that easy for him; I've never seen a player at that ease, probably in any position, not just at centre-back, it's a walk in the park for him."

Ferdinand, when still working for BT Sport, put himself first on his list of top five centre-backs in Premier League history. While picking during an episode of 'Between The Lines' with Van Dijk, he said: "I believe I'm number one, serious.

"I'm going number one straight away. That's how I thought, that's how I approach everything."

Van Dijk also put Ferdinand first in his top five. He said: "You could also play in the modern-day era. Back in the day, you were so important to the Man United team. All the English centre-backs, in general, looked up to you; you were an icon as a defender."

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