Exclusive: David Prutton names his 3 best Championship centre-backs - Burnley and Sheffield United stars feature | OneFootball

All of the Championship promotion contenders boast top defenders according to David Prutton

Burnley centre-back pairing CJ Egan-Riley and Max Esteve have been lauded as two of the best centre-backs in the Championship.

That is the opinion of seasoned EFL campaigner David Prutton, who listed the two Clarets in his top three centre-backs currently plying their trade in the second tier.

Egan-Riley and Esteve have been a part of a mean defence that has conceded just 11 goals in 38 Championship games this season.

Burnley duo CJ Egan-Riley and Max Esteve hard to beat in the Championship

Scott Parker’s Burnley have received a lot of plaudits for their defensive nous this campaign, with the Clarets embarking on a run of 1,214 minutes – 12 matches – without conceding in the Championship.

That set a record in the Championship by some margin, with no team in second-tier history having gone over 10 games without conceding.

Egan-Riley and Esteve started every single match during that streak – with only the latter playing every minute of it, as the former missed five minutes of action.

As such, it is no surprise to see the pair praised for playing an integral role in Burnley’s mean defence.

Asked by Football League World for his top three centre-backs in the Championship, Prutton instantly casted his mind to Burnley’s defence.

He exclusively told FLW: “It's hard to come away from the two that have been a big part of the best defence who have had the most clean sheets in Burnley.

“CJ Egan-Riley and Max Esteve, who dovetail delightfully in with each other.

“They've got a real thirst, and a want and a need to keep the ball out the back of the net.

“I think given what we've seen from Burnley, they’ve quietly gone on about their business, quietly kept in touch with the top two of Leeds and Sheffield United.

“Where all the discussion seemingly is on (Leeds and Sheffield United), Scott Parker's been playing all that rivalry down and just said “we're gonna get on with our jobs and hopefully get the job done.”

“You can see exactly why Esteve and Egan Riley are so coveted and highly thought of.”

Promotion contenders in the Championship all boast dominant centre-halves

Prutton feels that you do not have to look too far from Burnley’s position in the Championship table to find other standout centre-backs.

The former Leeds United midfielder highlighted the duo at the back for his old employers, Joe Rodon and Pascal Struijk, whilst also singling out Sheffield United pair Jack Robinson and Anel Ahmedhodzic.

He continued: “There's a lot that you can look at.

“Anel Ahmedhodzic and Jack Robinson at Sheffield United.

"I'm not trying to keep these in pairs.

“And then Joe Rodon and Pascal Struijk at Leeds, who also chip in with goals and can play in midfield.

“So there's a lot to be very, very, impressed by.

“You’ve also got to mention Luke O’Nien, who didn't go to Sunderland as a centre-half, but now he’s one of their captains from centre-back.

“Dan Neil is a big part of that as well, but he does lead from the back, he is one of the more experienced players and I think what he’s managed to do again, very quietly and effectively, if that's a pair of words that you can use to describe Luke O’Nien, the lovely, bubbly character that he is, has been wonderful to see.

You could go one apiece from the top three, which is very hard to pull apart.

“I can’t (look past) the Burnley pairing, and then you would have to chuck in Jack Robinson.

“But again, get all those dispatches in for the team that’s leading the division - you’ve got to give kudos to Rodon and Struijk.”