Double Acts: Richard Dunne on Sylvain Distin partnership | OneFootball

To mark former City defender Sylvain Distin's 48th birthday, we revisit our Double Acts feature, as Richard Dunne recalls their impressive defensive partnership.

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In a limited series, we previously looked at Joleon Lescott and Vincent Kompany as well as Ali Benarbia and Eyal Berkovic but today we rewind to a central defensive pairing that impressed in the 2000s.

Talk to us about Sylvain the player…

Sylvain didn’t have many weaknesses.

He was a very, very good centre half. He was a very good defender of the ball but he could play too.

He was quick, a good passer of the ball and he scored an outrageous goal against Aston Villa at Villa Park that I remember vividly. He dribbled half way down the pitch and then scored – we won that game 3-1.

He was brilliant. He was a real good leader too and hard-working professional.

I think the two of us worked well together as partnership. We had slightly different attributes.

I just thought it a shame actually that he didn’t get more caps for France because I think the level of football that he was playing when he was at City was as high as anyone could have wanted.

But yes he was a top player.

Why did the partnership with Sylvain work…

I think we were both quite laidback and at a good age in terms of experience in that we knew like clockwork what was expected of each other as a central defensive partner.

Every time I went up for a ball I would go with full confidence that ‘if I miss this, I have confidence that he will behind me covering me’.

It was the same for him. If he wanted to go and dribble up the pitch, he knew he’d be fine because I’d have his back.

We just had a great understanding. We were both brave I think too – we’d win tackles, win headers, put our bodies on the line.

Just for those few years, it seemed to work really well.

Tell us about Sylvain the person…

He was the captain before me.

He was a very popular guy and a great character.

We actually lived in the same apartment block – he was one floor up I think.

He was a really good fella. Obviously he spoke perfect English and he was one of those players who was just really, really dedicated to his profession.

He was always in at the training ground trying to get stronger, trying to get quicker, trying to do this and that to improve – a good example to those around him.

It was just good to be around him and I enjoyed being his partner for those few years together.