The best EPL striking partnerships - Who's the best of them all?

3) Álvaro Negredo and Sergio Agüero

Negredo and Sergio Agüero

The newest partnership of the lot, this one will garner the most amount of surprise as it was expected at the start of the season that Edin Džeko would get the nod ahead of Negredo in partnering Agüero for City. But, even though Džeko has scored goals since the start of the season, the sheer physicality provided by the Spaniard, along with his naturally predatory positioning have made him the perfect choice to partner the more technically gifted Agüero as City’s main attacking partnership this season.

The key to any partnership is diversity, i.e. when both the players offer something dynamically new to the partnership. Negredo’s physical stature and excellent ability in the air are a perfect foil for Agüero’s close ball control and superb dribbling, a trait borne out of his low centre of gravity due to his small physical stature.

Not much apart from conjecture can be said of the two thus far, as they have hardly had time to work together, this being the first season they are playing in the same team. But, even conjecture throws up some interesting points. Agüero is a gifted technician, with a superb eye for goal, typified by his strike against Liverpool in last season’s 2-2 draw at Anfield. He has good, if not great, passing and can dribble past opponents for fun.

On the other hand, Negredo relies on his strength to go past players and offers not too much by way of dribbling, but once inside the penalty area, he can unleash a wicked shot. These contrasting styles make for the foundation of what can be a dynamic partnership, given time and opportunity.

To close it off, all three partnerships offer much in their own way, but as to which one’s the best, you decide.