REVEALED: Fans Choose Their Favourite Strike Partnership From Premier League History
Strike partnerships are unfortunately no longer a common feature of top level football, as most clubs these days prefer to utilise just a single centre forward supported by an army of attacking midfielders or flying wingers, or both.
But proper striking duos still heavily resonate with fans and the Premier League has been graced by some real great ones over the years. And, responding to a 90min poll, 73,904 fans have had their say as to which was the best and they would want for their team.
Although neither were typical 'strikers', it was the partnership Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo had at Manchester United that came out on top with 32% of the overall vote.
Image by Jamie Spencer
Following the departure of Ruud van Nistelrooy from Old Trafford in 2006, the young pair blossomed as a duo and spearheaded a United team that went on to win three consecutive Premier League titles as well as conquer Europe.
The pair were firm friends despite frenzied media speculation willing for a fiery falling out after an incident at the 2006 World Cup, and they ultimately went from strength to strength and scored 105 Premier League goals between them in three seasons from 2006 to 2009.
MANCHESTER, UNITED KINGDOM - SEPTEMBER 27: Wayne Rooney of Manchester United celebrates scoring his team's second goal with team mate Cristiano Ronaldo (R) during the Barclays Premier League match between Manchester United and Bolton Wanderers at Old Trafford on September 27, 2008 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
Clive Brunskill/GettyImages
The Rooney/Ronaldo partnership narrowly edged out Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp, with the legendary Arsenal pair taking 28% of the vote.
Henry's pace and movement perfectly complemented the older Bergkamp's vision and guile, while both players were finishers of the very highest quality. Between them, they are responsible for some of the best goals English football has ever seen and helped bring the kind of success to Arsenal that Gunners fans in 2017 can only dream of.
30 Mar 2002: Dennis Bergkamp of Arsenal celebrates his goal with Thierry Henry during the FA Barclaycard Premiership match between Arsenal and Sunderland at Highbury, London. DIGITAL IMAGE Mandatory Credit: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images
Shaun Botterill/GettyImages
With 18% of the vote, former Liverpool duo Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge finished third in the final poll. The two were only together for 18 months at Anfield, but the 52 Premier League goals they scored between them in 2013/14 almost fired Liverpool to the title and obviously struck a lasting chord with supporters.
Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke received 15% of the vote, most famously leading the line as Manchester United completed the 'Treble' in 1998/99, while the memories of Alan Shearer and Chris Sutton banging in the goals for Blackburn Rovers in the mid 1990s have faded over time - they were the choice for just 4% of those who voted.
Robbie Fowler and Stan Collymore at Liverpool got only 3% of the vote.
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