Former Man United Captain Vidic reveals toughest striker ever faced

Aguero was my toughest opponent –Vidic

Nemanja Vidic has revealed that Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero was the toughest opponent he faced, as a tortuous afternoon at the Etihad left the former defensive titan reflecting on his worst game in a United shirt.

Vidic enjoyed a glittering career at Old Trafford after joining from Spartak Moscow in 2006, making a total of 300 appearances for the club where he lifted five Premier League titles, three League Cups and a Champions League trophy.

But the 37-year-old has spoken of his displeasure in coming up against Argentine striker Sergio Aguero. A 4-1 defeat by City in September 2013 proved to be, on reflection, Vidic’s worst game in a United shirt.

Vidic said just how difficult it is to track the prolific City striker.

Speaking to The Athletic, the Serb said, “I played against Aguero when they beat us 4-1 in the Moyes season.

“He (Aguero) looks like he’s not interested in football on the pitch. He doesn’t look like a guy who will run 10 metres and then — bang — he makes the sprint.

“I’m convinced that Aguero was born as a defender. He knows where the ball will come and where he can attack. But in the box, he has a low centre of gravity, which helps him change direction quickly — especially against the big English defenders.

“That was my worst game for United. I know I’m supposed to choose those two final defeats to and they were horrible to lose. That one in Rome, and Wembley was even tougher.”

It will come as something of a surprise to many fans, given how much Vidic used to struggle when facing former Liverpool striker Fernando Torres in the Premier League.

Torres consistently got the better of the Serbian centre-back during their meetings, most famously at Old Trafford in 2009 when he scored in Liverpool’s 4-1 win – a match where Vidic was sent off.