Teddy Sheringham believes two of Tottenham Hotspur’s players deserve far more recognition than they get when compared to their Arsenal rivals.
Tottenham Hotspur started their 2025/26 season strongly, with the Lilywhites keeping four clean sheets in their opening five matches under Thomas Frank.
Last season Spurs managed six clean sheets after 38 games, but are now two clean sheets away from equally that and three away from beating it altogether.
The availability of centre-backs Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven has undoubtedly played a huge role in that.
Both defenders missed large parts of last season through injury, but their partnership has been vital to Tottenham’s defensive resurgence.
Teddy Sheringham backs Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero as elite Tottenham pairing
Tottenham legend Teddy Sheringham has made a bold claim regarding Spurs’ current defensive duo.
The former Premier League striker believes that Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero are operating in the same bracket as Arsenal’s William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes, as well as Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate.
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The Gunners have been solid at the back this season, having conceded just three goals in their opening ten league fixtures this term, and that is largely down to the strong partnership between Saliba and Gabriel.
Yet, Sheringham feels Tottenham’s central defenders deserve similar recognition.
“Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero are in the same category as Gabriel and William Saliba,” the former Spurs striker told Oddspedia.
“Everyone talks about the best Premier League centre-back pairing being Gabriel and Saliba. You can also make a case for Liverpool’s defensive partnership: Virgil van Dijk is still a fantastic player, although there are still question marks around Ibrahima Konate. But I would place Van de Ven and Romero in the same bracket as those two pairings.
“They both complement each other very well; if one gets beaten, his partner is there to cover for him. It is unusual for a centre-back pairing at Spurs to be likened to the Premier League’s elite defenders, but they are the bedrock of a stable team.
“We saw last year how Spurs struggled without that pairing and it ultimately contributed to Ange Postecoglou’s downfall. If you took both Van de Ven and Romero out of the team, it becomes very stressful for Spurs, so Thomas Frank will be glad they are back in the team and showing their class.”
Spurs’ defensive resurgence under Thomas Frank
Romero and Van de Ven are both vital to Tottenham, but the same can be said of Gabriel and Saliba for Arsenal; however, there is an argument to be made that Spurs might have the better all-around centre-backs.
When Romero is absent, there is a noticeable drop in Tottenham’s overall quality, not just defensively, but also in their build-up play.
The Argentine’s ability to step out from the back and play forward passes helps set the tone for Spurs’ attacks.
Van de Ven, on the other hand, offers something unique that neither Gabriel nor Saliba possesses: his extraordinary pace and ability to drive the ball up the pitch while maintaining full control.
His goal against Copenhagen was a perfect example of that quality, while his assist last season against Manchester United showcased his composure and athleticism in equal measure.
It is difficult to imagine either Gabriel or Saliba producing such moments in open play.