Aberdeen boss Jim Goodwin insists the centre-back partnership of Liam Scales and Anthony Stewart is one of the best in Scotland.
The Dons have not lost a game this season where Scales and Stewart have been the centre-back partnership.
The only two defeats in 11 games, to Celtic and Motherwell, came when Scales was not alongside Stewart in the heart of defence.
Goodwin hopes that double act can keep out Rangers at Pittodrie on Saturday.
If Aberdeen win the high noon showdown against Rangers they will move level on points with the second-placed Ibrox club.
Goodwin had Scales and Stewart in mind from beginning
Goodwin revealed he targeted bringing the defensive double act to Pittodrie as soon as he took over as manager in February.
On-loan Celtic defender Scales and Stewart had both been on Goodwin’s long-term transfer radar.
He unsuccessfully tried to sign both centre-backs when manager of St Mirren.
When Goodwin inherited a struggling Aberdeen defence last season he thought a Scales-Stewart partnership could shore up the backline.
Goodwin said: “Liam Scales and Anthony Stewart are looking brilliant together.
“They are working as I hoped they would.
“The two of them complement one another really well.
“They cover for each other well and that is a relationship that is going to go from strength to strength.
“Hopefully we can keep the two of them available and in the park.
“If we can do that then it will be as good a centre-half pairing as there is out there, in my opinion.”
Bid to sign Scales on permanent deal
Aberdeen’s defeats this season came in the only two games Scales and Stewart were not the centre-back pairing.
Scales was unavailable to face Celtic (2-0 loss) due to the terms of his loan deal from the Parkhead club.
For the 3-2 loss to Motherwell, Scales was switched to left-back as cover for the injured Hayden Coulson.
Against Well, Ross McCrorie dropped from midfield to centre-back.
Goodwin landed left-sided centre-back Scales on a season-long loan deal from Premiership champions Celtic.
He tried to sign the 24-year-old on a permanent contract at the start of the summer transfer window but Celtic were not willing to sell.
Goodwin aims to launch a fresh bid to sign Scales, contracted to Celtic until summer 2025, permanently during the January transfer window.
Scales and Stewart deserved shut-out
Goodwin was frustrated Aberdeen conceded deep into injury time to draw 1-1 with Ross County at the weekend.
Aberdeen were on course for a third successive Premiership clean sheet, and win, until conceding in the fifth minute of injury time.
In the immediate aftermath of the match he blamed a “catalogue of errors” for conceding the dramatic late goal.
However he still singled out Scales and Stewart for praise as 6ft 4in striker Jordan White did not get a single effort on target.
Goodwin said: “We had two clean sheets in the league before Ross County and it would have been great to get a third.
“I thought Anthony and Liam deserved that for their overall performance.
“Anthony and Liam were excellent against a really difficult opponent in Jordan White.
“Kelle Roos was not troubled at all throughout the course of the 90 minutes.
“Unfortunately the last half a minute killed us. It is extremely frustrating as we had a couple of opportunities to clear our lines.”
Defensive overhaul in the summer
Last season the Reds managed just seven shut-outs in 47 games in all competitions.
Goodwin knew major changes had to be made to the back-line and completely overhauled it in an extensive summer rebuild.
The defence that played in the 1-1 draw with Ross County were all summer signings.
Alongside the Scales-Stewart partnership were right-back Jayden Richardson and on loan Middlesbrough left-back Hayden Coulson.
Richardson was secured in a £300,000 transfer from Premier League Nottingham Forest.
Keeper Kelle Roos, another summer signing following the expiration of his deal with Derby County, has started every game this season.
Goodwin said: “When I came in during February there wasn’t a great balance within the backline at all.
“There were people playing out of position.
“I like my left back to be a natural left back, I like my left centre-back to be a natural left-footed centre half.
“I think it just makes life a lot easier for everybody.”
‘I knew what these players could do’
Stewart spent the majority of his career in the English lower leagues with Wycombe Wanderers.
He has played every minute of every game since arriving at Pittodrie.
Scales made 13 appearances for Celtic last season, including two starts in Europe.
However he struggled to command game time in the second half of the campaign.
Goodwin said: “When we sat down as a recruitment department in February we pretty much identified every position.
“But there were certain players that I knew a lot about.
“Liam is one I tried to get in the past.
“Anthony is one that I tried to get in my first year at St Mirren but he ended up getting promoted into the Championship with Wycombe.
“That made it impossible.
“I knew exactly what both those players would do together.”
Conversation