Ever since the early days of the 2015 summer transfer window, there have been talks and speculation linking Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos with a move to Manchester United, only to end in misery for the Old Trafford fans when the Spanish international had finally decided to renew for the Santiago Bernabéu side. That gave fans around the world a serious issue to think about, especially when it comes to the team’s defensive capabilities. That was until before the start of the 2015/16 season when the Barclay's Premier League witnessed the rise of Chris Smalling.
With a back four line consisting of Matteo Darmian, Chris Smalling, Daley Blind and Luke Shaw, Manchester United’s defensive structure seemed safe and promising, until the sudden and painful injury of the former Southampton left-back, Shaw, in the UEFA Champions League group stage opener against PSV Eindhoven. This injury made Louis van Gaal shuffle his defensive options by playing Blind in different positions such as left and centre back.
Continuous injuries of Marcos Rojo and Phil Jones made the problem even bigger for the Dutch manager, possibly leading him to land a solid centre back to partner Chris Smalling.
A lot of talk and rumors can already be found in the papers linking both John Stones of Everton and Marquinhos of Paris Saint-Germain with a move to the Theatre of Dreams, but which defender can better partner Smalling? Let’s see.
So far this season, John Stones featured in 18 games (1620 game minutes) and Marquinhos featured in 12 (708 minutes).
Defensive statistics
Comparing the defensive stats produced by both defenders, we can notice the following:
| John Stones | Marquinhos | |
| Interceptions | 35 | 12 |
| Blocks | 17 | 7 |
| Clearences | 73 | 35 |
| Defensive Errors | 1 | 1 |
| Errors Leading to Goal | 1 | 0 |
Although the Everton man played more minutes than the Brazilian defender, his defensive stats seem to be more attractive than the ones provided by the Paris Saint-Germain man.
Winner: John Stones
Duels
A very important skill set any defender should have and build his strengths upon.
| John Stones | Marquinhos | |
| Tackles Won | 26 | 13 |
| Tackles Lost | 23 | 9 |
| Successful Take Ons | 17 | 1 |
| Aerial Duels Won | 25 | 12 |
| Fouls Suffered | 16 | 3 |
| Fouls Committed | 9 | 8 |
A clear domination by the English defender, making him a strong favorite given the rhythm and physical conditions of the Premier League.
Winner: John Stones
Discipline
What about the behavior and attitude of the player, especially when it comes to a huge defensive task or physical ability?
| John Stones | Marquinhos | |
| Red Cards | 0 | 0 |
| Yellow Cards | 3 | 1 |
| Cards for Bad Tackles | 1 | 1 |
A very close comparison but the Brazilian defender has a slight advantage when it comes to being booked.
Winner: Marquinhos
The Louis van Gaal style
Both defenders have the abilities in partnering Chris Smalling in the centre of defence, but which player suits the playing style of the Dutch manager? In other words, which player can pass the ball backwards and forward better, possess it better and help his teammates in building attacks from the back?
| John Stones | Marquinhos | |
| Total Forward Passes | 670 | 484 |
| Total Backward Passes | 204 | 148 |
| Successful Passes | 785 | 595 |
| Pass Completion | 90% | 94% |
| Chances Created | 1 | 0 |
| Average Pass Length | 21.78 m | 15.50 m |
Another area which is well dominated by Stones. Given his Barclay's Premier League experience, this is another area to make the English defender a favourite.
Winner: John Stones
Conclusion
Both players are still young and have still a lot to learn and produce. Stones' Barclays Premier League experience gives him an advantage but Marquinhos' lack of game minutes also gives a huge hope in becoming a centre back lead in the future.
Overall winner: John Stones
