Ranking the 10 best central defenders in the Premier League

With the 2016-17 Premier League season well underway, theScore is ranking the best players on offer at various positions on the pitch so far.

• 10 best goalkeepers in the Premier League
• 10 best full-backs in the Premier League (Nov. 18)
• 10 best midfielders in the Premier League (Nov. 19)
• 10 best wingers in the Premier League (Nov. 20)
• 10 best forwards in the Premier League (Nov. 21)

Today, our focus is on the men who marshall their respective backlines.

10. Jose Fonte - Southampton

Jose Fonte is edging towards his 33rd birthday, but is still a reliable and influential force in the Southampton defence.

Claude Puel must've been watching Euro 2016 closely when he was deciding whether to take a centre-back with him to Southampton. Fonte was sensational for Portugal, forging a superb understanding alongside Pepe and proving the foundation to the Selecao's successful campaign.

His star may be dwindling due to his years, but Fonte - who joined the Saints when they were toiling in the third tier - will leave St Mary's a legend.

9. Joel Matip - Liverpool

Kolo Toure, Tiago Ilori, Mamadou Sakho, Alberto Moreno - maybe even Ragnar Klavan. Liverpool's defensive signings over the past few seasons were relatively poor until Joel Matip was bagged on a free transfer.

The Cameroonian brings a pace and agility to Jurgen Klopp's back four that was previously lacking on Merseyside, but also offers a level of concentration that is extremely valuable when the Reds' high-octane style means much of the midfield line ahead of Matip can go AWOL.

8. John Stones - Manchester City

One of Pep Guardiola's most fascinating projects in Eastlands is Yorkshire youngster John Stones.

At Everton last season, Stones stubbornly adhered to his passing game in defence; forever eyeing a long, sliding through ball into the attackers, or springing driven long efforts to the wingers. Unfortunately, his nine months were error-strewn.

Guardiola liked what he saw though, and parted with £47.5 million to take him to Manchester City in the summer. On early evidence, the gamble will pay off, with Stones still making the odd error, but largely proving City's greatest asset in his position and a player with a huge ceiling to his potential.

7. Chris Smalling - Manchester United

Eric Bailly has been drafted in by Jose Mourinho and appears to be a genuine threat to Chris Smalling's defensive crown but, for now, the former Maidstone United man is Manchester United's most dependable figure at the back.

Smalling hasn't produced his best form at United in 2016-17, but has been shackled somewhat by injuries and questions from Mourinho over his work rate.

To not fall into the footballing wilderness at club and international level, Smalling needs to step it up over the remaining 27 matches of the Premier League season.

6. David Luiz - Chelsea

With the wacky hair, his past positional misdemeanours and the bloated transfer fees David Luiz has demanded, the Brazilian is often a target for mockery rather than praise.

But under Antonio Conte, Luiz has been afforded freedom to stride forward in a back three, but has been wisely restrained by the Italian in his distribution - he makes less short passes per game than Cesar Azpilicueta, Gary Cahill, and John Terry, but is still afforded freedom in playing long balls.

A hugely overlooked component of Chelsea's recent form.

5. Shkodran Mustafi - Arsenal

Per game, Shkodran Mustafi makes over three times the tackles as Alderweireld and has made a total 27 clearances in eight appearances - 16 more than his Spurs counterpart.

What a signing Mustafi has been by Arsene Wenger. A player with attributes which hark back to an earlier era - aerial strength and no-nonsense tackles - but what were needed beside the cultured play of Laurent Koscielny.

David Moyes must feel a fool for deeming him inadequate for Everton first-team duties, and letting him leave for Sampdoria for nothing in 2012.

4. Jan Vertonghen - Tottenham

A player with valuable versatility - he's shown an adeptness at left-back for both Tottenham Hotspur and Belgium - and who seems rather comfortable operating in the shadow of his lavishly praised club colleague and compatriot Alderweireld.

The 29-year-old nips in with more tackles than any other centre-back at Spurs, wins almost three times the headers as Alderweireld, and plays steady yet tempo-dictating small passes around the backline and into the midfield.

3. Virgil van Dijk - Southampton

Virgil van Dijk has a wonderfully upright stance when he carries the ball out of defence, and has an unheralded prowess in aerial duels.

His confidence and composure at the back rubs off on his teammates, and his ability to snuff out danger but also fashion an attack - he makes more clearances than any of his colleagues, but still has an 85 percent pass rate - is valuable for the counter-attacking Puel has implemented through wingers Dusan Tadic and Nathan Redmond.

Unfortunately for Southampton, Van Dijk could be the next player targeted in the annual summer looting from Premier League rivals.

2. Toby Alderweireld - Tottenham

Alderweireld isn't a barrel-chested centre-half; one who'll scramble up a striker's back to win a header or embed his studs in an opposition's shin to remind him of his presence.

Tottenham Hotspur's Belgian is instead a modern defender of great intelligence, superb anticipation, and a right peg that can sweep the balls into the paths of his side's wing wanderers or onto the sizable head of Harry Kane. His contributions are often subtle, but of unfathomable importance to Mauricio Pochettino's masterplan in north London.

Alderweireld, Kane, and Mousa Dembele forge Spurs' rock-solid spine.

1. Laurent Koscielny - Arsenal

For a while, it felt like Laurent Koscielny was manning the Arsenal backline on his own.

The indiscipline of Gabriel, and the spluttering and slovenly displays of Per Mertesacker, threatened to mar the Gunners' displays each week, but regularly their saviour came in the form of Koscielny.

The Frenchman reads the game with infinite ease, is highly underrated when he has the ball at his feet, and has a leap and neck muscles that make him an absolute colossus in the air.

Arsenal has all the pieces for a genuine title push with the impeccable Koscielny now partnered by Mustafi at centre-back.