Greatest Premier League XI of all time

Patrick Vieira – Central Defensive Midfielder

Vieira was the driving force in Arsenal’s midfield

A dynamic midfield player whose ability to bring the ball from defence to attack was a marvel to behold,Patrick Vieira was the captain of the incredible Arsenal “invincibles” side. Vieira led his team by example. A player whose quality of tackling, passing energy and determination made him a natural fit to the League and an easy player for Arsenal fans to fall for.

The ability to regularly beat people with the ball, especially in the middle, is a rare one, but to Vieira this seemed to come naturally. A combination of height and strength added to technique and composure led to him rapidly becoming a vital cog within Arsenal’s gameplan.

Vieira's battles with Manchester United’s Roy Keane were legendary and it was a treat to watch two of the best midfielders of this generation go all out for the win.

The facts of Vieira’s career speak for themselves; at the time of his retirement he had amassed 107 caps for France (including the ’98 World Cup and 2000 Euros), featured in six seasons in a row in the PFA team of the year at Arsenal, won three Premier Leagues and four FA Cups.

He had a brief spell at Manchester City before retiring but the legendary French midfielder is best remembered for his time at Arsenal.