Chelsea playmaker Jorginho and Manchester United star Paul Pogba are the two best midfielders Sean Longstaff has come up against - and the Newcastle United player admits Pogba was such a 'man mountain' that he was able to hold off both him and younger brother Matty when they were 'trying to kick at his ankles'.
Now an established first-team player, it is easy to forget that Longstaff only made his Premier League debut on Boxing Day in 2018 before going on to make his first league start for his boyhood club against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge two-and-a-half weeks later.
Although understandably nervous in the tunnel, Longstaff more than held his own against Jorginho et al and kept his place under Rafa Benitez until he suffered a knee injury.
Following the first serious injury of his career, Longstaff was eased back in by Benitez's successor, Steve Bruce, and has had to be patient for a run of games but he did start both matches against Manchester United, the club he was previously linked with, earlier this season.
The first game, in October, was a memorable 1-0 win at St James' Park, when Matty Longstaff scored the winner on his Premier League debut, but the second, at Old Trafford, ended in a 4-1 defeat on Boxing Day when Pogba impressed during a second-half cameo.
Longstaff reflected on that night after being asked about the toughest midfielders he has come up against in a Facebook Live Q&A with Experience Ltd.
"To be honest, there have been a few. I think when we played away at Chelsea, Jorginho, who just sits at the bottom of their little three, was unreal to be honest," he told host Brian Adair and Lee Clark, his former manager at Kilmarnock.
"He hardly ever gave the ball away but was always looking to break lines or play forward passes, which is a big thing. You couldn't really get close to him because you sort of look at him and think, 'He can't really run great or he can't do whatever' but you put a ball at his feet and he's unbelievable.
"I think Jorginho was one of the better ones and on Boxing Day, when Paul Pogba came on, I think he only played for 45 minutes and I don't even know if he was fully fit but he was like a man mountain to be honest.
"I think there were a couple of times when me and Matty were both trying to kick at his ankles and he had me pressed away with one arm and Matty with his other arm. For me, I think he's one of the best ones as well.
"Those two that I mentioned. I think, for me. Pogba just because of the sheer size of him - he's got power, he's got pace, he's got unbelievable quality with the ball.
"It sort of makes me laugh when I see people criticising him and stuff because, for me, he's probably the most complete midfielder in the world."
