Manchester United legend Gary Pallister hopes Harry Maguire and Raphael Varane get enough time to develop their centre-back partnership.
A solid defensive pairing was a trademark of United under Alex Ferguson. Think Pallister and Steve Bruce, or Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic.
There was hope that the arrival of Varane, a Champions League and World Cup winner, from Real Madrid last summer would help United find their next defensive duo.
However injuries have restricted the pair to just nine Premier League stars together this season.
Varane and Maguire talk against Tottenham
Maguire has also been criticised for his poor form, with the Mirror suggesting United's senior players want him to step down as captain.
Pallister was a colossus in the United defence for nine years, winning four Premier League titles.
And the former England international wants to see Varane and Maguire grow as a centre-back pairing.
"Varane game by game is looking stronger, and I certainly think it is the partnership that will hopefully evolve and help Manchester United become stronger," Pallister told TribalFootball.com, on behalf of OLBG.
"The more they can play together and stay away from injuries the better, Varane's had a couple of injuries already which can be a concern.
"Steve and I rarely got injured in the first few years, so when you play week in week out, you know each other's games down to a tee.
"Hopefully Maguire and Varane will get the chance to evolve that partnership.
Pallister added that it will take a whole defensive unit to improve United's performance, as it did during the Ferguson era.
"I do think it gives you a bedrock, everyone talks about myself and Brucey, but we had two great fullbacks alongside us.
"Paul Parker stuck to people, wouldn't let them get away, he maybe wasn't eye catching on the ball but what a job he did.
Pallister in 1995
"On the other side there was Dennis Irwin who was one of the best fullbacks to ever play in the Premier League.
"He was such a technically gifted player with both his left and right foot.
"Behind us we had one of the best goalkeepers in the world for a number of years in Peter Schmeichel.
"It's about the unit, partnerships are important, and it probably helped with me and Steve that we were from the same part of the world.
"We'd already met through a testimonial game before I went to Manchester United, so I already knew him a bit before I got into the dressing room.
"It helps you settle in, then after me and Steve there was Nemanja (Vidic) and Rio (Ferdinand) who also had great fullbacks either side in Gary Neville and Patrice Evra.
"Edwin Van der Sar as well, so it all becomes a great unit and I think the club have been searching for that since Nemanja and Rio left."
