Former Newcastle United striker Alan Shearer has said that Arsenal centre-back Tony Adams is the best defender he’s ever come up against.

Shearer has come up against many defenders in his long and storied career, but none as good as former Arsenal captain Tony Adams. That’s according to the man himself, who gave the most simplistic reason for why Adams was the best.

“The best defender I’ve played against, and always say, was Tony Adams,” Shearer said, reports the Metro. “His job was to defend and he was the best defender I played against.”

Adams job was to defend, as opposed to all those other defenders, whose job was to become well-acquainted with Shearer’s elbows. Apparently, the Newcastle man much preferred going up against Sol Campbell than Adams.

‘”I didn’t mind playing against Sol Campbell. I felt as though I could drag Sol to where I wanted to,” he admitted. In a career spanning 18 seasons, Shearer scored 379 goals in 734 appearances. Few defenders could live with his power.

Adams and Shearer would have encountered each other numerous times over the years. Shearer now serves as a bland and easily mockable pundit on Match of the Day, occasionally dabbling in being a manager.

Adams, meanwhile, regularly takes time out of his exotic job in China to criticise Arsenal and Arsene Wenger, while also occasionally dabbling in being a manager. He was in charge of Spanish club Granada before their relegation from La Liga last season.