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ESPNsoccernet: England | |
Asmir Begovic has paid Ryan Shawcross and Robert Huth the ultimate compliment after they helped Stoke City extend their unbeaten Premier League run to six matches.
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Begovic insists the central defenders provide the perfect platform for the team, and says the are among the Premier League's best in their respective positions.
"I wouldn't swap our two centre-backs for anyone else in the country and I don't just say that because I play with them," the keeper said in the wake of the 0-0 draw at Aston Villa. They look so solid as a partnership with a great understanding. It works wonders."
Begovic was relatively untroubled as Stoke recorded a second clean sheet in the West Midlands in successive weekends to cement their ninth place in the table, with three home games to follow in the next four fixtures.
It was the eighth time this season Stoke have stopped their opponents from scoring - and the sixth since the start of October.
"We take great pride in our defensive record and our defensive work and it's working well so far," Begovic added.
"We have got momentum. It was important to keep our run going.
"Villa away is always a tough game and we have to grind a result out. We weren't at our best like the last few games but we kept the run going.
"They came out really hard at us with a lot of pace and energy, which we knew they would as a young team, and we withstood that. We could have been a bit better going forward.
"We are really pleased with our squad. We've had a few injuries here and there which have unsettled the team but we've got good quality to come in anywhere. It is a sign of a club progressing which is really important."
A first-half penalty-area block by Shawcross from the in-form Christian Benteke was the highlight of Stoke's resistance and was highly praised by his manager Tony Pulis.
Begovic was also grateful for the intervention and believes the sky's the limit for the Stoke skipper.
"Ryan made his England debut last month and I think he has the class to become a regular (at international level) eventually if he keeps going.
"He is still very young, has played a lot of Premier League games and is our captain.
"We really rate him and the more times he is with the England squad, the more times he plays, the more comfortable he will feel and he will show his true colours."
Shawcross is the subject of negotiations over a new contract and the keeper added: "We would love him to be here."