THE NEW DOLLY AND DAISY
"I said it about Wes when he was only 18 and I said it again a year later," enthused Fergie. "And I am saying it again right now.
'He can be THE best'
"If he stays clear of injuries, Brown will become THE best defender England has ever produced."
"Since the days of Steve Bruce and Gary Pallister we have never had a partnership at central defence like the one which Brown and Ferdinand are giving us now," added Sir Alex.
"That is something we have missed because Bruce and Pallister were key players in the success we enjoyed throughout the nineties.
"I see a bit of Bruce and Pallister in Rio and Wes in the way they complement each other.
"Brown has learned how to do his own job and he is happy to get on with it and let Ferdinand do all the shouting and bawling.
"One of the great things about Wes is that he never gets carried away by any good publicity.
"He is a lovely lad who keeps his feet very firmly on the ground.
"Of course he got a bit down when he picked up those serious injuries.
"Which player wouldn't if he had to fight his way back from a cruciate knee injury and a fractured ankle in the space of two years?
The right path
"Picking up serious injuries like that was a big worry for me and it was very important for the lad to stay fit for an extended period of time.
"But he knows now when to tackle and when not to and that has made the difference.
"That only comes with experience and what I am looking for is a long, long partnership between Wes and Rio. This is what we got from Bruce and Pallister, who hardly missed a game in seven years."
And Rio aint bad either
"He's now like a Rolls-Royce and the performances turned in by him and Brown against Birmingham this week were unbelievable.
"I was beginning to wonder if we would ever find anything to equal the Bruce-Pallister pairing but Brown and Ferdinand have provided it.
"And the beauty of it is that both Wes and Rio are still young footballers and I can see their partnership continuing for many years to come."