Garth Crooks has claimed he thinks Antonio Rudiger is the “greatest defensive asset” at Chelsea right now.

Rudiger, who earns £100,000-a-week, has played every minute at the start of the new season for the Blues.

The 28-year-old centre-back was part a superb defensive performance at the weekend as they earned a 1-1 draw away to Liverpool at Anfield.

He’s a no-nonsense defender who’s aggressive in his work, something which has really gone up a notch since Thomas Tuchel became manager at the start of the calendar year.

BBC pundit Crooks named the Germany international in his latest edition of Premier League Team of the Week after his Liverpool display.

He added that he’s the elite defender right now at Stamford Bridge.

“Blues manager Thomas Tuchel summed it up when he said his team showed great resilience and spirit [against Liverpool] – no-one more so than Rudiger,” Crooks told BBC Sport.

“I have been saying for some time now this player is Chelsea’s greatest defensive asset.

“When he was booked in the first half I thought he was odds on to receive a second yellow, but Rudiger proved to be far too smart for that. Under Tuchel, the German centre-back has got better.”