Who were the best defenders over the weekend? Cahill, Jagielka and more

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Chelsea, Everton, Liverpool and Norwich City stars all feature.

There were some superb defensive performances over the weekend which allowed teams to keep clean sheets and secure vital points at both ends of the table.

Arsenal got back on track, Manchester United secured a vital away win, Norwich held out against Spurs and Hull City dominated in Wales.

We’ve taken a look at some of the key individual performances across defensive areas.

Outfield Blocks

Cesar Azpilicueta is the name we’re going to pick out from this list because the Chelsea man has appeared regularly in this feature this season. He was superb during a spell in the game against Everton where the Toffees really got on top and his performance helped the Blues see out that pressure.

Tackles Won

The encouraging sign from this stat for Liverpool fans is that both of their full backs are in good form. It was important for Liverpool that Glen Johnson got stuck in against Swansea while Flanagan proved once again that he’s just as comfortable down the left side of defence.

Effective Clearances

The two Norwich City central defenders deserve a lot of praise because they had to deal with a lot of pressure against Tottenham Hotspur. They cleared their lines effectively to consistently release the pressure on their team.

Duels Won

Chelsea’s Gary Cahill was clearly difficult to get the better of during the Blues’ game against Everton. Cahill had to stay disciplined throughout the game because the Toffees had runners from several positions who could have hurt the Chelsea back four through the middle. He did well not to get drawn out of position.

Interceptions Won

Jagielka wins this area, stepping in to intercept the ball more than any other defender over the weekend. That showcased a superb ability to read the game and cut off danger, it’s just a shame he wasn’t on the winning side.

image: © Ronnie Macdonald